HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY 1
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
To be admitted to the final exam of Human Physiology 1 it is necessary to possess a positive evaluation of the exams of Human Anatomy and of Biochemistry
The evaluation of the attainment of the objectives foreseen by the integrated Course is performed through a final exam on all issues presented in the detailed program of the Courses of Human Physiology 1 and Human Physiology 2. The exam consists of a multiple choices test of 40 questions delivered through a PC with a score of 0.725 for each correct answer and - 0.25 for each wrong or missing answer. The positive outcome (score higher than 18/30) allows to be admitted to the oral evaluation, consisting of 4 open questions, 2 on the program of Human Physiology 1 and 2 on the program of Human Physiology 2. The whole exam aims at defining the knowledge and the degree of comprehensions of the human physiological mechanisms, the capacity to apply knowledge and comprehension and the learning capacity of the issues dealt with in the two aggregated Courses.
The final score of the exam of Human Physiology will be obtained as the average between the evaluations of the exams of Human Physiology 1 and Human Physiology 2.
Physiology studies the human vital functions and analyses he mechanisms through which the organism realizes ad maintains its internal homeostasis at molecular, cellular and tissue level in spite of the modification of the surrounding environment.
The objective of the Course Human Physiology 1 will be to provide graduates with all the information necessary to understand, from a biophysical-quantitative point of view, the functioning of the various organs and systems of the body under normal conditions and their control by the nervous system central and autonomous and endocrine system.
Dublin descriptor 1: knowledge and understanding
Students must learn the basics of biophysics and the functioning of cells, tissues and organs in physiological conditions;
Dublin descriptor 2: applied knowledge and understanding
Students must use the acquired knowledge to understand complex and integrated physiological mechanisms.
Dublin descriptor 3: independent judgment
Ability to reason about the correlation between structure, biophysical behavior and the function of organs and systems.
Dublin descriptor 4: communication skills
Capability to clearly describe the discussed issues by using the adequate technical language.
Dublin descriptor 5: ability to learn
Ability to associate quantitative and functional parameters with changes in physiological conditions.
The course will deal with the basic physiology topics of transport, the electrical phenomena of membrane, with the related physical laws and their demonstration. Subsequently, the basic cellular electrophysiology aspects that characterize the excitable cells will be tackled, to then pass to a systematic vision of the afferent, efferent systems of the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as the autonomic nervous system. We will then deal with topics concerning the functional subdivision of the encephalic areas, the specific function of each of them and an overview of the most advanced cognitive processes such as language and memory.
Cell electrophysiology. Resting cell membrane potential. Time and space constant. Excitation threshold, ionic currents Ionic channels. Action potential and its propagation along myelinised and non-myelinized nervous fibres. Refractory period. Conduction speed. Synaptic function. Synaptic properties and neurotransmitters. Unidirectional conduction, central delay, excitation and inhibition. Ca++ role in neurotransmitters release. Excitatory (EPSP) and inhibitory (IPSP) postsynaptic potential. Neuromuscular junction. Neuronal codification. Integration of postsynaptic signals:
Nervous system. Sensory system. Generator and receptor membrane potential. Receptor adaptation. Mono and pluri-synaptic reflexes. Interneurons and inhibitory circuits. Somatic sensations. Tactile and position senses. Neuromuscular spindles and Golgi tendon organs; and circuits. Sensory pathways for transmitting somatic signals to central nervous system. Sensory cortex Thermal sensation. Thermal receptors. Pain. Types of pain receptors. Pathways for transmitting thermal and pain signals to central nervous system. Referred and visceral pain. Peripheral and central mechanisms of endogenous control of pain. Vestibular sensation and maintenance of equilibrium. Vestibular apparatus. Function of utricule and saccule in static equilibrium. Function of semicircular ducts in detection of head rotation. Nistagmus. Sense of hearing. Transmission of sound through the outer and medium ear. Inner ear: transmission of sound waves in the coclea, function of the organ of Corti Central auditory mechanisms. Vision. Optics of vision. The eye as a camera. Accomodation, visual acuity. The retina as a receptor. Photochemistry of vision. Color vision. Neural function of the retina. Visual pathways. Organizations and functions of the visual cortex. Analysis of visual image. Eye movements and their control. The chemical senses – Taste and Smell. Receptors. Transmission to taste and smell signals to the central nervous system. Motor control. The neuromotor unit. Organization of spinal cord for motor function. Flexor and withdrawal reflexes, crossed extended reflex. Reciprocal inhibition and reciprocal innervation. Spinal shock. Cortical and brainstem control of motor function. Primary motor cortex. Premotor area. Role of reticual and vestibular nuclei. Control of posture. Spinal, visual and vestibular components of postural control. Vestibolo-spinal projection. Cervical, visual and vestibular reflexes. Nistagmus. Vertigo. Cerebellum. Afferent and efferent pathways to the cerebellum. Cerebellar circuit. Basal ganglia. Motor functions. Specific neurotransmitters. Cerebral cortex. EEG. Functions of specific cortical areas. Association areas. Language input and output. Different function of the two emispheres. Short- term, intermediate–term and long-term memory. Limbic system and Hypotalamus. Activating- de-activating systems of the brain. Vegetative and endocrine control function of the hypothalamus. Functions of the limbic system. The hemato-encefalic barrier and the cerebral liquor. Barrier properties. Function of the liquor. Autonomic nervous system. General organization and characteristics of sympathetic and parasympathetic function. Autonomic reflexes. Control of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems in distinct organs.
AA.VV. – FISIOLOGIA UMANA – a cura di F.Grassi, D.Negrini, C.A. Porro - Poletto Editore, Milano
AA.VV. – FISIOLOGIA MEDICA - a cura di F. Conti - Casa Editrice Edi-Ermes, Milano
Guyton & Hall – FISIOLOGIA MEDICA – Elsevier-Masson
Monografie:
Kandel, Schwartz – Principles of neural science – Elsevier
AA.VV. - Neuroscienze - a cura di D.Purves, Zanichelli
Teaching will be given through frontal lessons. With the aid of images, schemas, graphs and biophysical analysis of the functioning mechanisms of cells, tissues and organs, the student will be driven to the comprehension of the different but integrated physiological processes
Prof. Moriondo is available for the students by appointment taken at the e-mail address:
andrea.moriondo@uninsubria.it