06551 - Neurophysiology

Learning outcomes

The course is aimed to provide the topics useful for the knowledge of physiology of relationship and of central integrative functions typical of human. The topic focused on the physiologic mechanisms for integrative functions of central nervous system and in particular the cerebral hemisferes. The more recent experimental models are presented, in particular the highest cognitive functions.

Course contents

Concepts of Integrative Neuroscience: Ethical issues in Neuroscience Research. Methodological approaches in System Neuroscience research.

Sensory receptors: Decoding of sensory information. Transduction processes in different types of receptors. Primary sensory cortices. Afferent pathways.

Pain: pain perception and afferent transmission of pain information. Ascending and descending modulation of the pain perception.

Visual perception: From the eye to the primary visual cortex. Movement control: from the frontal lobe to the muscles. Encoding of object position in the visual field. Encoding of shape, color and movement of a stimulus.

Central visual pathways: Dorsal and ventral visual stream.

The associative cortex of the frontal lobe: its role in the action planning and in the interpretation and knowledge of actions executed from others.

The associative parieto-temporal-occipital cortex.

The associative limbic cortex

Emotions: cerebral circuits underlying the emotions. Language: function and cerebral circuits.

Memory and learning: cellular mechanisms of learning.

Development of NCS: cortical plasticity.

Readings/Bibliography

Purves et al., NEUROSCIENZE, ed Zanichelli, 2005, 2013
Purves et al., Neuroscienze cognitive, ed Zanichelli 2009, 2013

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons using Power Point presentations.

Interactive methods (e.g. Kahoot, Quizizz, etc…) learned in recent didactic laboratories of UNIBO will also be added, so to have a richer interaction among students and between students and professor.

Assessment methods

Oral examination (registration in Alma RM at least 4 days before the date of the exame). The student will present two different subjects from the program, chosen by the examiner. The student needs to have a decent preparation on both topics, in order to pass the examination.Students following lessons have the possibility to perform a partial examination "in itinere" (it elapses after 6 months).

The final exam aims at assessing and evaluating the achievement of the educational aims:

-       knowledge of sensory mechanisms of perception and elaboration of sensory information

-       Knowledge of physiological mechanisms underlying integrative functions of central nervous system

-       knowledge of recent experimental models used to study cognitive functions.

 

It will be assessed the student's capability to orient within the various topics of physiology program. It will be evaluated with excellence the achievement of a global view of course topics together with a critical use of them, the ability to perform conceptual correlations, the demonstration of  both expressive and specific language mastery competence.

Teaching tools

Lectures will be done in a Power Point presentation format. The material for the slides (e.g. figures, photos) will come mainly from the suggested textbooks. All teaching material will be available on the designated digital platforms (servers) of the University.

In order to prepare for the exam it is suggested to attend actively the lectures, study from a textbook and use both the notes taken during lectures and the material put by the tutor on the server of the University.

Links to further information

http://www.gallettilab.unibo.it/People.html/people%20fattori.html

Office hours

See the website of Patrizia Fattori