There are many techniques used to get insight from the brain itself. Psychologists use machinery like this to go straight to the source, when necessary, if a problem arises. This advanced machinery, upon analysis, reveals that there are many underlying advantages to the psychological society. These tests can be beneficial to advancing the way we look at the structure and functionality of the brain.
The brain is the control center of the brain. They send messages to the body in the form of chemical messages (hormones), and nerve impulses. If there is a problem sending messages sometimes symptoms can be visible, affecting your motor skills, thought processes, or judgement. Since the brain is so fragile, access is nearly impossible, so imaging is a good alternative. When looking at images you are trying to pinpoint irregularities. These can be shown in a variety of ways, like dark masses and thick lines.
When analyzing the brain there is two ways one could go about it. One way is structural analysis, which looks directly at the anatomy of the brain, in order to find irregularities in the structure. Some examples could be tumors, blood clots, or lesions. There are two options to look at structure, a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or a CAT (computerized axial tomography) scan. Both of these techniques are more accurate than x-rays and provide insight to what is going on inside the brain. Both these methods, also create stunning detailed graphs of the brain; so that is a huge advantage. (macalester.edu) An Mri gives off no radiation, unlike a CAT scan. Another advantage is that it doesn't require any additional preparation (Mcalester.edu) . However both machines are expensive to use. (Zimbardo pg 64).
Another way one could go about is going the route of functionality, which is used a lot with psychology (Zimbardo, pg 66) One method commonly used is a PET/SPECT scan, called Positron Emission Tomography. This is the first method to be used to look at the...