OVERVIEW

The "Nervous System and Endocrine Anatomy" course (code 80240) represents the third part of the Human Anatomy teaching. Topics covered include the Nervous System (SN), both central and peripheral, and the Endocrine System.
Given the distribution of the SN and Endocrine System throughout the body, the teaching coverage is systematic in nature. In addition, being the last teaching of Human Anatomy and often dealing with the multifunctional regulation of organs, it represents for the student a moment of synthesis of the knowledge acquired in the previous lessons of Human Anatomy.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with an adequate knowledge of the Nervous and Endocrine Systems so that they can understand their normal functioning and the pathologies that can result from their damage.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The educational objectives of the course “Nervous and Endocrine System Anatomy” are intended to provide students with 1) the acquisition of the knowledge necessary to understand the morpho-functional organization of the Nervous and Endocrine Systems, 2) the acquisition of the knowledge of the basic mechanisms by which the Nervous and Endocrine Systems perform their functions within the human organism and 3) the understanding of the basic mechanisms by which the Nervous System performs its function of receiving, integrating and processing signals. This knowledge forms the basis for understanding the various anatomo-clinical pictures resulting from damage to the Nervous and Endocrine Systems. The understanding and knowledge of the topics covered during the lectures will enable the student to further investigate specific topics in complete autonomy.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching activity is organised in lectures. During these lectures all the issues the student has to know for the final exam will be explained and discussed with the help of visual aids.

Pursuant to L.170/10 “New Regulations on Specific Learning Disorders in Schools”, support services are in place for students with Specific Learning Disorders (SAD), disabilities or other educational needs, through the “Support Services Sector for disabilities and for students with SAD”. These students are encouraged to contact the lecturer and the School's disability contact person, Prof. Nicola Girtler (nicolagirtler@unige.it), at the beginning of the course to agree on possible teaching modalities that, while respecting the objectives of the course, take into account individual learning patterns.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

NEUROANATOMY.
Introduction to the Nervous System (NS).
Embryologic development of NS.
Meninges, ventricular system and barriers of the NS.
Spinal cord. The spinal nerves.
Brain stem and cranial nerves from III to XII.
Cerebellum.
Diencephalon.
Cerebral hemispheres.
The limbic system
The afferent compartment. Classification of receptors. Definition of receptor field. Receptors and pathways of general somatic sensitivity. Taste receptors and gustatory pathway. Olfactory receptors and olfactory pathway. The eye and optical pathways. The ear and acoustic pathways.
The efferent compartment. The motor unit. Spinal reflexes. The pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems. The basal ganglia. The circuitry involving the cerebellum. The visceral nervous system.
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM.
Structure, morphology and microscopic organisation of pineal gland, hypophysis, thyroid, parathyroids, adrenal gland, islets of Langerhans, endocrine function of the kidney and feto-placental unit.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

TW Vanderah, DJ Gould. NOLTE Anatomia del sistema nervoso centrale. VIII Edizione. Edra 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

During the exam, the knowledge and understanding of the structures of the human nervous and endocrine systems and how they work together, as well as the communication skills used by the student, will be assessed.