HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY II - channel 1

The course allows the student to acquire the knowledge concerning the vital functions of animals and humans, to understand how the living organism obtains and maintains the homeostasis of its internal medium at the molecular, cellular and tissue level in the context of modifications of the surrounding environment. In particular, the objectives of the course are: to analyze the integrated functioning of the various organs, systems and control systems through which the living organism obtains and maintains the homeostasis of its internal medium; understand the mechanisms and interrelationships of vegetative functions and the general foundations of endocrinology; analyze the neurobiological and psycho-physiological foundations relating to sensory functions, motor behaviors and cognitive and emotional interactions between the subject and the environment. The course also aims to develop students' interest in the experimental approach in the field of neuroscience and the possibility of translating the results obtained from basic research to the clinic, since physiology constitutes a dynamic discipline in the field of modern biomedical research, integrating and connecting the basic and translational disciplines.

Lectures and theoretical-practical exercises.

Sensory systems and perception.

• Recettori sensoriali: classificazione, modalità sensoriale, soglia, adattamento. Campi recettivi. Dermatomeri. Vie ascendenti. Corteccia somestesica.
• Sensory receptors: classification, sensory modality, threshold, adaptation. Receptive fields. Dermatomes. Ascending routes. Somestetic cortex.
• Epicritic sensitivity (touch and cenesthesia) and protopathic sensitivity (thermal and painful).
• Muscle, tendon and joint proprioception.
• The ear and hearing function: transmission of sounds to the inner ear. The cochlea and the process of transduction of sound stimuli. Auditory cortex.
• The eye and vision: the optical properties of the eye. The retina and the phototransduction process. Visual cortex.
• The chemical senses: taste and smell. Central ways and mechanisms
• Vestibular apparatus: response to linear and angular accelerations of the head.

Motor Control.

• Organization of the movement.
• The spinal cord. The reflected activity. Extension and stretching reflections. The flexion reflections. The alpha-gamma ring.
• Descending projection systems: corticospinal, rubro-spinal, reticulo-spinal, vestibular-spinal pathways. Spinal hemisection. Spinal shock.
• Muscle tone and posture. Segmental and suprasegmental regulation of muscle tone. Stiffness from decerebration.
• Vestibular reflections. Motion sickness. Eye movements.
• The cerebellum: functional anatomy of archi-, paleo- and neo-cerebellum. Effects of cerebellectomies.
• The basal ganglia and their anatomo-functional organization.
• Motor cortex and overview of the control of voluntary movements.
  

Higher nervous functions

• The level of vigilance. Sleep and its phases. Electroncephalographic rhythms. The awakening reaction.
• Behavioral Neuro-physiology. Generality. Motivation, emotions and addiction.
• Cortical associative areas and integration processes. Memory and learning.
• Lateralization and brain dominance. The language centers.

Cerebral circulation and blood-brain, haematoliquoral barriers. Chemical-physical characteristics and functions.

Regulatory Systems:

Autonomous nervous system: Anatomo-functional organization of the ortho- and parasympathetic system. Catecholamines and adrenal medulla.

Endocrine system

• Definition and classification of hormones. Biosynthesis, secretion, transport, activation and hormonal inactivation. Mechanisms of action of hormones.
• Hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
• Adrenal gland and stress responses. Functions of cortisol and aldosterone.
• Notes on prostaglandins, endorphins and endocannabinoids.
• Thyroid hormones and their functions. Hyper- and hypo-thyroidism.
• The endocrine pancreas and the regulation of blood sugar. Outline of physiopathology.
• The phosphocalcic metabolism: metabolism of calcium and phosphate; physiology of the bone. Parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, vitamin D, their functions and interactions. Other hormones that regulate mineral and bone homeostasis.

Reproductive physiology. Functions of the female reproductive organs: ovarian, uterine and hormonal cycle; contraception; physiology of pregnancy and childbirth; neuroendocrine control of lactation. Functions of the male reproductive organs: functional anatomy of the testis and spermatic ducts; spermatogenesis; male sex hormones.

1. Fisiologia Umana - A cura di F. Grassi, D. Negrini, C.A. Porro – Poletto Editore

2. Guyton & Hall - Fisiologia medica - EDRA.