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.

6. THEORETICAL-PRACTICAL APPROACH TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
6.1 Spinal injuries. ASIA rating scale and its applications.
6.2 Perception of the environment and influence on human behavior. Definition of perception and sensation. Notes on the physiology of the eye. Perception of the environment around us. Optical illusions. Altered perception of reality and applications to rehabilitation.