Final answer:
The practice of purposefully destroying specific brain areas in animals for research is referred to as Ablation. It is essential for understanding brain functions and is an invasive research method with ethical considerations.
Step-by-step explanation:
When specific brain areas are purposefully destroyed in animal research, the procedure is known as C) Ablation. This method is utilized to study the functions of various parts of the brain by observing the resulting changes in behavior or function after certain regions are removed or destroyed. In historical and some current research practices, this method has been critical in identifying the role of different brain structures. For instance, ablation of the occipital lobe in an animal model may lead to visual deficits, illustrating the occipital lobe's role in vision. It's important to note that while ablation provides insights, it is an invasive procedure and has had ethical considerations when applied to animal studies.