If we could peek inside a living, working brain, what would we find? The answer to this question turns out to be one of the most exciting avenues of research on brain development. Investigators can now use computer-enhanced images to assist in diagnosing disease and even to study the thinking brain. As described in Table 3.5, researchers use three main imaging techniques to do this: computed
tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET). CT and MRI are widely used not only in research but also in diagnosing brain diseases such as tumors and strokes. All three have provided fascinating insights into brain functioning.
Future insights into brain aging will come from neuroscience research using imagery techniques that examine relations with specific findings from molecular biological and genetic studies.