The secondary school pupils, from as far afield as Nelson, Christchurch and Invercargill, had qualified to attend through their scores in a neuroscience-related online quiz.
The year 11 pupils spent the day competing in various events in a laboratory at the University of Otago microbiology and immunology department building.
Overall first place went to Katie Harris, of Nelson College for Girls, who will travel to Adelaide, Australia, to compete in the next round of the competition in December.
Winners from that event will compete in the International Brain Bee, to be held overseas early next year.
Yesterday's activities included challenging short-answer tests and a fun interactive neuroscience laboratory.
Darcy Herrick, of James Hargest College, in Invercargill, said the event had been ''really fun''.
''I've never done anything like this before,'' she added.
Challenge master of ceremonies Dr Rebecca Bird was ''very inspired'' by the amount of preparation competing pupils had done on aspects of neuroscience.
Results. -
Individual: Katie Harris (Nelson College for Girls) 1, Winifred Davis (Christchurch Girls' High School) 2, Kate Gardiner (Christchurch Girls' High School) 3.
Teams: Papanui High School 1, Christchurch Girls' High School 2, Nelson College for Girls 3.
