Interrogating the Brain

Interrogating the Brain is a Trial Event which was last run at the 2018 Washington state tournament for Division C. It tests students on their knowledge of the human brain, as well as MRI scans and EEG scans.

The Event
This event takes the form of a test with questions from three different sections. Each question is identified with the section, and each section makes up no less than 25% of the test. Each team may also bring one double-sided 8.5"x11" notesheet with information from any source.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a technique used to build three dimensional pictures of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to generate images of different organs according to where the MRI is performed. MRI scans do not involve the use of radiation, as opposed to CT scans and PET scans which use x-rays and gamma rays respectively. People with medical implants may also not be able to undergo an MRI due to the intense magnetic field that MRI scans utilize.

Functional MRI
Functional MRI (fMRI) differs from a regular MRI in that fMRI detects changes in blood flow to the brain. MRI scans can be performed on any part of the body, while fMRI scans focus on the brain. fMRIs are designed to measure brain activity, as when a region of the brain is in use, the blood flow to it increases.

Effects on Humans
People who have certain medical implants such as pacemakers, insulin pumps and cochlear implants cannot receive MRI scans. Certain contrast agents containing the element gadolinium can also cause a rare illness called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in people with severe renal failure. However, MRI scans do not generally have a strong adverse effect on humans since they do not use ionizing radiation.

Scoring
Each question will be assigned a number of points, and partial credit may be available. The highest number of points wins the event. One question from each section will also be marked as a tie-breaker question, and the sum of points on those questions will determine the winner in the event of a tie.