Teaching code

4S000165

Teacher

Elisa Santandrea

Credits

2

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

BIO/09 - PHYSIOLOGY

Period

1 SEMESTRE PROFESSIONI SANITARIE dal Oct 3, 2022 al Dec 23, 2022.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link:  Course organization

Program

Corso di Laurea in Logopedia – Anno Accademico 2022-2023
Modulo: FISIOLOGIA
COURSE PROGRAM
Principles of human physiology
- ¬Functional organization of the human body (cells, tissues, organs and organ systems)
- Homeostasis – Positive and negative feedback mechanisms
- Cell and tissue types
- General organization of the nervous system
- Neurons and glia
- Spinal cord
- The brain
- The autonomic nervous system
- The somatic nervous system
Principles of cellular physiology
- Cell (or plasma) membrane
- Membrane transport mechanisms
- Mechanisms of signal transduction
- Genesis of the resting membrane potential at the level of neuronal cells
- Neurons and electric signaling
- Graded potentials and action potentials
- Neurotransmission or synaptic signaling (electrical and chemical synapses)
- Neurotransmitters
- Neural signal integration (spatial and temporal summation)
Physiology of the sensory systems
- Sensory receptors, sensory pathways, sensory coding
- The visual system (Visual perception: phenomena, functional properties and functional organization of the visual system; Neurophysiology of the visual system: photoreceptors and retinal circuitry, lateral geniculate nucleus, primary visual cortex, cortical processing and visual pathways)
- The auditory system (Auditory perception: phenomena, functional properties and functional organization of the auditory system; Neurophysiology of the auditory system: ear, transduction of sound, cortical processing and the auditory pathways).
Physiology of the motor systems
- Control of involuntary/automatic movements (reflexes)
- Control of voluntary movements (smooth movements, postural control, motor coordination, motor learning)
- The skeletal muscular system (neuro-muscular junction, structure of the skeletal muscle, mechanisms of force generation, muscle mechanical properties and muscle contraction, muscle metabolism, motor control and motor coordination)
- Smooth muscle and cardiac muscle
- The oculomotor system (Types of eye movements and their function; Neurophysiology of saccadic eye movements: extraocular muscles, motor neuron, cranial nerves and cranial nerve nuclei, subcortical and cortical circuitry for motor control)
Integrative physiology
- The respiratory system (anatomo-physiological correlates of the respiratory function, breathing mechanics, pulmonary and alveolar ventilation, pulmonary circulation, gas exchanges and transport via blood circulation, nervous control of breathing, neural generation of the breathing rhythm, homeostatic principles of breathing).

Bibliography

Didactic methods

Lessons will take place in the classroom, with the professor focusing on the presentation of the main topics of the course, while encouraging students towards an active and critical participation.

Learning assessment procedures

Oral examination

Evaluation criteria

In addition to the skills in employing the correct technical-scientific language and to handle critical reasoning onto the themes faced during the course, the evaluation will focus on the specific notions acquired in relation to the following themes:
- basic methodological approach to the scientific study of human physiology
- basic principles of cellular physiology
- basic physiological principles governing the general function of the human body
- basic neurophysiological principles governing the functioning of a sensory system
- basic neurophysiological principles governing the functioning of a motor system
- basic physiological principles governing the functioning of an organ system (e.g., the respiratory system)

Exam language

Italiano (in caso di necessità e/o su richiesta dello studente: inglese)