University of Padova (Italy)

Degree Course in Physiotherapy

STANDARD PROGRAM

Professor/Lecturer:

Teaching: Human physiology

ECTS: 6 lessons hours: 60 homework hours:

Prerequisites / Good knowledge about basis of physic, chemistry, biochemistry, biology and anatomy.
Knowledge and skills learning targets / Students will achieve knowledge about:
State of health’s physiology
Pathological state’s assessment with different levels of severity.
Assessment mode / They will be indicated by the teacher at the beginning of the course
Evaluation criteria / They will be indicated by the teacher at the beginning of the course
Contents / - Homeostasis and homeostatic circuits. Cells’ communication. Diffusion and systems of membrane transportation.
- Components and blood’s function. Haemopoiesis and haemostasis.
- Structural characteristics of skeleton muscular fibres.
Excitation/contraction couple.
Isometric and isotonic shock and tetanus. Tension/length and force/speed curves. Fast and slow muscles, motor unity and muscular plasticity.
- Anatomical and functional characteristics of independent nervous system.
- Cardiac excitement and ECG waves’ meaning.
- Mechanical events of cardiac cycle.
- Cardiac output and its regulation.
- Intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF). Systemic circulation’s characteristics and haemodynamic principles.
- Arterial, venous, lymphatic and capillary systems.
- Main characteristics of special circulations.
- Central and peripheral regulation of cardiovascular function.
- Main characteristics of pulmonary circulations.
- Respiratory mechanic and pulmonary volumes.
- Pulmonary and alveolar ventilation.
- Gas exchange and breathing gas transportation.
- Central and peripheral regulation of respiratory function.
- Main characteristics of renal function.
- Glomerular ultrafiltration and glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
- Renal tubule function and urine’s composition.
- Renal clearance concept.
- Urination.
- Gastrointestinal motility.
- Excitability. Potential of membrane and action. Excitement state’s propagation.
- Synaptic events. Pre and postsynaptic potentials. Mediators, integration and synaptic memory.
- Basic neuronal circuits. Nervous fibres’ classification.
- Sensorial receptors and transduction’s mechanism. Stimulus’ codification, adaptation and receptive field.
- Somatosensory and associative cortex. Sensitivity pathways and basic characteristics of feelings’ psychophysics.
- Thermal sensitivity and thermoregulation’s mechanism.
- Tactile sensitivity and tactile acuity.
- Conscious and unconscious proprioceptive sensitivity.
- Pain sensitivity and pain’s endogenous control.
- Motor neurone’s recruitment. Neuromuscular transmission and differet kind of motor unity.
- General characteristics of reflex arc.
- Homo lateral flexion reflex and crossed extensor reflex.
- Neuromuscular fuse and stretch reflex.
- Tonic and phasic reflexes.
- Tendon organs and inverse stretch reflex.
- Morphological and functional characteristics of vestibular receptors. Stimulation and reflexed effects.
- Postural reflex and their regulation.
- Causes of muscular tone and decerebretion’s stiffness.
- Cortical motor areas. Pyramidal and extrapyramidal pathways.
- Function of basal ganglia.
- Function of cerebellum and effects of decerebellation.
- Spinal shock and half spinal cord section.
- Lack’s effects of afferentation and efferentation.
- Function of thalamic nuclei.
- Upper function of Central Nervous System in general.
- Hormonal function in general in relationship with other argument of this course.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods / They will be indicated by the teacher at the beginning of the course
Further guidance on study materials / They will be indicated by the teacher at the beginning of the course
References / They will be indicated by the teacher at the beginning of the course