NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

General Module

Course Sheet

Course code:

TO12A4D

Academic Year of enrolment:

2020

Year of supply:

2020/2021

Type of Course:

Basic

Degree:

Course of 1st Cycle Degree in Occupational therapy

Disciplinary Sector:

PHYSIOLOGY

Is part of:

MORFO-GENETIC SCIENCES OF PREVENTION IN T.O.

Location:

CHIETI

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

PAOLINI CECILIA

Cycle:

Second semester

Obligatory attendance:

Yes

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

Prerequisites:

Knowledge of the basic principles of basic biological sciences: biology, anatomy, histology, biochemistry and physics. To take the final exam of the Integrated Course it is necessary, on the basis of the prerequisites provided for by the didactic regulation, to have previously passed the Basic Biological Sciences exam (TOC11A2). It is advised, but not obligatory, to have also taken the Basic Propedeutical Sciences (TOC11A1).

Objectives

The aim of the course is to have general organizational principles at the base of the physiological functions and their integration.
The student must know the fundamental principles of physical phenomena, integrating the knowledge transmitted by previous courses (biology, histology, physics and biochemistry).
The teaching also has the task of defining the aspects of a control process on the human organism, to allow an in-depth knowledge of the functional characteristics of human personnel for carrying out the profession of occupational therapist.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the course the student must, therefore, have acquired a series of theoretical knowledge and skills that allow the understanding of the cellular mechanisms that are at the base of the functioning of the major apparatuses and organs that make up the human organism.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING CAPACITY
The student must demonstrate that he has acquired basic notions of cell, organ and apparatus physiology, but also that he has understood the causal links between specific stimuli and the biological processes that work for the maintenance of homeostasis. They will also have to have knowledge about the mechanisms of response to different stresses.
CAPACITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Given an initial situation and a perturbation of this state, the student will be able to predict and describe the response mechanisms and whether such responses are sufficient or not to maintain homeostasis.
JUDGMENT AUTONOMY
The student must have acquired such knowledge as to enable him to describe the mechanisms underlying the functions dealt with and to be able to evaluate in an autonomous and motivated way possible different opinions on any problematic aspects.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The student must demonstrate correct and timely use of specialized terminology when he exposes contents in the physiological field and a logical and sequential analysis of the cause / effect sequences of physiological processes.
LEARNING ABILITY
The student will have to develop learning skills useful to understand the main physiological mechanisms.

Contents

1. Cellular physiology and Electrophysioloigy.
2. Central Nervous System (CNS): structure and function.
3. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): sensory division.
4. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): motor division.
5. Autonomous Nervous System (ANS).

Extended Syllabus

1. CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
1.1 Distribution of solutes in the different liquid compartments of the organism; ionic bases of membrane potential in resting cells; equilibrium potentials for a single ionic species (Nernst equation). Role of the Na+-K+ pump.
1.2 Relationships between variations in membrane potentials, ion fluxes, membrane permeability; concept of depolarization and hyperpolarization; the generation of graduated potentials; concept of subthreshold and suprathreshold potential; spatial and temporal summation of graduated potentials; mechanisms of propagation of graduated potential and the influence of passive electrical properties of the membrane. Time trend of action potential and main phases related to variations in membrane permeability; meaning of threshold for the action potential; absolute and relative refractory period; propagation of action potentials, differences in myelinated and unmyelinated fibers.
1.3 Transmission of the electrical signal through synapses: electric synapses and chemical synapses and their anatomical and functional differences. Anatomy and functional characteristics of the central and peripheral synapses; neuromuscular junction; excitatory and inhibitory synapses; concepts of stimulus intensity and frequency related to the release of the neurotransmitter.

2. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS): STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
2.1 Introduction to the central nervous system (CNS): anatomo-functional organization of the brain and spinal cord (anatomy recalls); spinal cord structure and its functional organization; structure and function of the brain: brainstem (medulla, pons and midbrain); cerebellum; cerebral cortex; basal ganglia.
2.2 Brain functions: organization of the cerebral cortex in sensory, association and motor areas; concept of lateralization of brain functions.

3. PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS): SENSORY DIVISION.
3.1 General properties of sensory systems; types of sensory receptors; generator and receptor potential; primary and secondary receptive field; spatial resolution of stimuli; processing and coding of the intensity, modality, duration and location of the stimulus; concept of lateral inhibition; receptor adaptations.
3.2 Somatic sensitivity: mechanisms and central organization of the somatic system. Anterolateral somesthesic system. Thermal and pain sensitivity. Gate theory in pain modulation. Lemniscal somesthesia sensitivity.
3.3 Ear and hearing: general principles of acoustics; anatomy and functional organization of the auditory system; the meccano-electric transduction of the sound; ionic bases of meccano-transduction in ciliate cells; central auditory pathways; auditory cortex.
3.4 Vestibular system: anatomy and functional organization of the vestibular system; static and dynamic balance; otoliths and semicircular canals; vestibular nerve pathways; vestibulo-ocular reflex; central pathways to thalamus and cortex.

4. PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS): MOTOR DIVISION.
4.1 Hierarchical organization of motor control systems; types of movement.
4.2 The spinal cord as a center of reflexes; proprioceptors (joint receptors, neuromuscular spindles, Golgi tendon organs); motor efferences of the spinal cord; concept of myotatic unit and mutual inhibition; spinal reflex arcs; spinal generators of rhythm: the locomotion and biomechanics of the path; muscular stiffness; the cycle of the step; nervous control of locomotion.
4.3 Voluntary movement: nerve centers responsible for movement; relationship between motor neurons and muscles; somatotopic organization of motoneurons; motor program.
4.4 Movement planning and organization: primary motor cortex, posterior parietal cortex and premotor cortex; mirror neurons.
4.5 Modulation of the movement by brain stem and spinal cord: lateral and medial motor descending pathways; posture, balance and visual orientation; final common pathway.
4.6 Modulation of the movement by basal ganglia: anatomy and functional organization of the basal ganglia; afferent and efferent fibers of the basal ganglia; saccadic eye movements; direct and indirect pathways of the basal ganglia; dopaminergic pathway.
4.7 Modulation of the movement by the cerebellum: anatomy and functional organization of the cerebellum; afferent and efferent fibers of the cerebellum; basic cerebellar circuits; control of the cerebellum on voluntary movement; role of the cerebellum in motor learning.
4.8 Memory and learning: definitions. Memory: locations, mechanisms, neurobiological bases of short and long-term memory; role of the hippocampus; long term potentiation (LTP). Associative learning and conditional learning. Procedural learning and procedural memory; steps of motor learning, role of the cerebellum in motor learning; striatal circuit and cerebellar circuit.

5. AUTONOMOUS NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS).
5.1 The autonomic nervous system: sympathetic and parasympathetic branch; localization of the cell bodies of autonomic neurons in the spinal cord; differences and similarities between sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways: localization of pre-ganglional neurons and ganglia; neurotransmitters and receptors of the autonomous system; differences between ionotropic and metabotropic receptors; signal transduction mechanisms used by adrenergic and cholinergic receptors; neuro-effector junction; medulla of the adrenal gland and catecholamines.

Recommended Bibliography

The student will find and study the topics covered in class in several books of Human Physiology available on the market. Following some of the textbooks among which the student could choose:

1. “Fisiologia” Carbone, Aicardi e Maggi, Casa Editrice Edises
2. "Principi di Fisiologia” Zocchi, Casa Editrice Edises
3. "Visual Anatomia e Fisiologia" Martini, Ober, Nath Bartholomew and Petti, Casa Editrice Piccin
4. “Fisiologia generale ed umana” Rhoades & Pflnzer, Casa Editrice Piccin
5. “Fisiologia” Stanfield & Germann, Casa Editrice Edises
6. “Vander - Fisiologia” Widmaier, Raff and Strang, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
7. “Fisiologia” Klinke, Pape, Kurtz and Silbernagl, Casa Editrice Edises
8. “Neuroscienze” Purves, Augustine, Fitzpatrick, Hall, Lamantia and White, Casa Editrice Zanichelli
9. “Berne & Levy Fisiologia” Koepen and Stanton, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

Teaching Methods

The teaching is structured in 30 hours of frontal teaching, divided into 15 lessons of 2 hours each according to the educational calendar. The frontal teaching will be supported by the projection of slides made in PowerPoint by the teacher and by films related to the topics covered that will make it easier to understand the development of some physiological processes.
Attendance is mandatory.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

The learning outcomes will be duly verified by the teacher in different ways:
- in the classroom during the lessons with the proposal of questions and/or discussion on the topics covered, also highlighting the basic points to arrive at correct answers during the final oral exam.
- an oral examination during the exam.
The final exam can be supported after obtaining the attendance at the course, having enrolled in one of the appeals on the ESSE3 platform and whose periodicity is defined by the Didactic Regulations.
The oral test will evaluate the knowledge of the topics covered in teaching, the use of specific terminology, the ability to organize a coherent and organic speech and the ability to reason critically on the topics covered in class.
The result of the examination is expressed in thirtieths. The oral discussion focuses on questions in which the student must demonstrate:
- a sufficient but incomplete basic knowledge (score 18-22/30);
- a discrete knowledge with the ability to clearly illustrate the topics (score 23-25/30);
- good ability to illustrate the topics with ownership of language and mastery of the subject (score 26-28/30);
- excellent knowledge of the matter moving with ease from one subject to another contextualizing any interconnections and / or differences (score 28-30/30).
The laude is reserved to those who also show particular interest and knowledge of functional aspects, with high communication skills, autonomous learning and connection between the topics.
The final score of the Integrated Course is an average of the scores obtained in the modules that constitute the Integrated Course itself and the exam is considered passed with a minimum score resulting from the score average of at least 18/30.

Contacts/More Information

Meeting the teacher will require fixing an appointment by e-mail (cecilia.paolini@unich.it) or by telephone: 0871-541507

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree