Book excerpt: Brain Slices in Basic and Clinical Research describes advancements in the field of brain function and dysfunction through use of central nervous system slice preparations. Topics are authored by leading scientists and include the following: Mechanisms of synaptic plasticity as the basis of memory processes Chaos and synaptic variability Brain calcium currents Glutamate receptors Pathophysiology of excitotoxins Cerebral hypoxia-ischemia Neuronal injury Free radicals Optical methods of measuring brain metabolism Voltammetry in brain slices Calcium imaging Patch-clamp recording and application of macromolecules through patch-clamp pipettes in brain slices Intracellular double labeling of various neuronal populations Use of brain slices in teaching neurophysiological methods Most of the topics are published in book format for the first time, and some of the techniques are more fully detailed than in any other book.