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What is Brain Bee

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It is a live Q&A competition about the neuroscience for middle and high school students. The best young brains in our country are quizzed about the brain and how it relates to intelligence, memory, emotions, sensations, movement, stress, aging, sleep, and brain disorders such as drug addiction, Alzheimer's and stroke. The brain bee is an attempt to motivate our youth to learn about the brain, capture their imagination, and inspire them to pursue careers in biomedical research on brain.

This brain bee contest is scheduled to take place during the NSF National Finals. Please see the Program Schedule.

Due to rule changes in the format of the International Brain Bee, the first place NSF Brain Bee winner will not immediately go to the International Brain Bee. Rather, he/ she will go to University of Maryland to compete in a national competition. The winner of that national competition will go to the International Brain Bee, which will be held in Canada. In other words, the NSF winner is not guaranteed a spot in the International Brain Bee.

The International Brain Bee is founded and directed by Prof. Norbert Myslinski, University of Maryland, and is part of the International Brain Awareness Week. The BAW is an effort by brain scientists in 29 countries to educate the public about the importance of brain research, spearheaded by the DANA Alliance and the Society for Neuroscience. Please click here for information on the International Brain Bee.

All questions in the regional contest are from only one book, "BRAIN FACTS", published by the Society for Neuroscience (SFN). The book can be downloaded from the Society for Neuroscience web site at or you can obtain a hard cover book for $5.00 by calling SFN at 202-462-6688 (you have to tell them it is for Brain Bee and urgent).

The following are the sample questions with Answers:

1. Approximately how many neurons does the brain contain?
   Answer: 100 Billion
2. Name the device that measures brain waves?
   Answer: Electroencephalograph
3. Prozac relieves symptoms of depression by affecting what neurotransmitter?
   Answer: Serotonin
4. The Greek word for the branches of a tree gives us the name of what part of a neuron?
   Answer: Dendrites
5. The biological clock is located in what part of the brain?
   Answer: Hypothalamus
6. Name a brain disorder named after a famous baseball player?
   Answer: Lou Gehrig's disease

You must register online from the NSF website. Please click here to go to the home page of the National Finals.

2004-2005 NSF Brain Bee Champion Ashley Thakur : At age 7, Ashley became the youngest National Spelling Bee champion of NSF. Further she also became the youngest Brain Bee champion at the NSF Finals during 2004. Read more about past winners...

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