An open day promoting brain health and neurological research, Brain Day featured talks by university neuroscientists and displays by the many support groups involved with brain injury or disease.
One of the displays was by the university's Brain Health and Repair Research Centre, which exhibited some of the anatomy department museum's models, including real and plastic cross sections of the brain and peripheral nervous system.
Postdoctoral research fellow Emma Coddington said the models helped teach students the basic anatomy of the brain and "learn the language" of the brain.
Yesterday, they also enabled those who attended to see inside a person's head.
Neurological Foundation community relations manager South Island Cecilia Pascoe said about 300 people, including those in the health profession, students and people affected by neurological conditions and illnesses, attended the event.
The aim of the day, which was part of International Brain Awareness Week, was to make the public more aware of brain disease and injury and show that there was excellent research going on in New Zealand.
"That excellence, the need for research, needs to be furthered," she said.
