NEUROANATOMY AND NEURODEVELOPMENT

Degree course: 
Corso di Second cycle degree in BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2016/2017
Year: 
1
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2016/2017
Course type: 
Compulsory subjects, characteristic of the class
Credits: 
6
Period: 
Second semester
Standard lectures hours: 
48
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (48 hours)
Requirements: 

To follow this course the student must have a general knowledge of embryonic development, neuronal function and activity (e.g. communication between neurons-neurons/ neurons-glia ; neurotransmitters) and a knowledge of the organization of the human body. Moreover, the student must be able to understand English and be capable of reading scientific publications.

Final Examination: 
Orale

Learning achievements are evaluated through an oral interview.

Assessment: 
Voto Finale

The main outcome consists in the acquisition of knowledge regarding the principles of neuroanatomy and neurodevelopment. The student will be able to: I) use in a correct manner the anatomic nomenclature of the nervous system of humans and experimental animal models; II) know the topographical and functional relationship between the different areas of the nervous system in order to also understand the functional and anatomic bases of different pathological processes.

- Introduction to the Neuroanatomy: basic nomenclature; topography of the nervous system; constitutive elements of the nervous system. Macroscopic anatomy of the nervous system.
- Neurodevelopment: general embryonic development (cleavage, gastrulation). The fate of the ectoderm and neuroectoderm. Neural induction and CNS regionalization.
- The Spinal Cord and reflexes.
- The Brain in toto and its regionalizations. Brainstem. Diencephalon. Telencephalon. Limbic System. Cerebellum.
- Somatosensory System. Somatosensory pathways (proprioceptive and somatic sensitivity pathways).
- Motor Pathways (pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems).
- The special senses. Basic olfactory patway. Basic visual pathway. Auditory and vestibular systems. Basic gustatory pathway.
- Basic knowledge of cranial nerves and spinal nerves.
- The autonomic nervous system. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The enteric nervous system.
- The Cerebrospinal Fluid. Cerebral Circulation.

Students may study by following the trace of the teaching material (slides on-line), with the help of Neuroscience textbook and atlas, such as:
- Principles of Neural Science E.R. Kandel, J.H. Schwartz, T.M. Jessel - McGraw Hill Professional, 2013.
- Seeley et al. Anatomia, II edizione - Idelson Gnocchi
- Montagnani et al. Anatomia Umana Normale - Idelson Gnocchi
- Martini et al. Anatomia Umana, IV edizione - Edises;
- Tillmann. Atlante di Anatomia umana - Zanichelli
- Netter. Atlante di Anatomia umana –Masson
- Online atlas

Teaching activities are based on lectures. Lectures follow the line of slide presentations that are made available on-line to the students.

Professors

SCHELLINO ROBERTA