Cellular neurophysiology Resting membrane potential. Time constant and space of nerve fibers. Threshold, under- and supra-liminal current. Law of all or nothing. Action potential and its propagation. Synaptic function. Properties of synapses. Chemical mediators. Unidirectional conduction: delay, excitation or inhibition. Coupling between action potential and mediator release: role of Ca2 +. Post-synaptic receptors. Excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP) and inhibitory (IPSP). Neuromuscular junction: the motive plate. Neuronal coding. Integration of post-synaptic signals: temporal summation, convergence and spatial summation. Transformation of post-synaptic effects into repetitive discharges of neurons. Sensory systems. General characteristics of sensory receptors: generator potential and receptor potential. Monosynaptic and plurisynaptic reflexes. General characteristics of the reflexes: latent time, spatial and temporal summation, subliminal fringe, occlusion, facilitation. Tactile and kinesthetic sensitivity. Tactile and articular receptors. Neuromuscular spindles: afferent and efferent innervation. Range circuit. Golgi tendon-like organs. Central street of discriminated and indiscriminate tactile and kinesthetic sensitivity. Thermal sensitivity and pain. Central transmission of pain. Vestibular apparatus. Semicircular receptors and macular receptors. Acoustic, visual, olfactory and gustatory sensitivity. Motor control. The neuromotor unit. Neuromuscular spindles and spinal reflexes. Posture maintenance. Spinal and vestibular component. Motor coordination. Afferent, efferent and cortical circuits of the cerebellum. Cerebellum. Mirror neurons. Core units Voluntary movement. Motor cortical areas. Direct and indirect cortico-spinal motor pathways. Motor homunculus. Cerebral cortex. Functional specialization of the various cortical areas: hemispheric dominance. Role of the corpus callosum. Centers of language, motor aphasia and sensory aphasia. Medial temporal lobe and the hippocampus. Different types of memory. Hypothalamus. Limbic system. Vegetative nervous system. Chemical mediators, action on effector organs. Pain sensitivity. Types of pain, polymodal receptors and nociceptors. Central transmission of pain. Gate theory, viscero-somatic convergences on transmission neurons (referred pain). Neo-spino-thalamic and paleo-spino-thalamic section. Central periaqueductal analgesic system and raphe nuclei. Endogenous opioids.