OVERVIEW

The course explores the mechanisms regulating metabolic homeostasis in humans, with particular attention to the integration among the nervous system, the endocrine system, the digestive tract and metabolically active tissues. The course will address the physiological processes underlying digestion, nutrient absorption, regulation of hunger and satiety, energy balance and metabolic adaptation under different physiological conditions.

The course promotes an integrated view of nutrition as a complex biological process in which food is not only a source of energy and nutrients, but also a set of signals able to modulate endocrine-metabolic function. Environmental and food-related factors that may interfere with these mechanisms will also be considered, with specific reference to endocrine disruptors, obesogens, metabolic syndrome and selected endocrine-metabolic conditions of nutritional relevance.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge on human physiology and particularly on the importance of proper nutrition for maintaining homeostasis, highlighting and enhancing the relationships of connection and interdependence between physiological processes and mechanisms.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge and understanding. Students should know and understand the main physiological processes involved in digestion, absorption and utilization of nutrients, with reference to macronutrients and the regulation of gastrointestinal functions. They should understand the role of the enteric nervous system, the autonomic nervous system and gastrointestinal hormones in coordinating motility, secretion, absorption, satiety and postprandial metabolism.

Students should understand the general principles of endocrine-metabolic regulation, including hormone mechanisms of action, membrane and nuclear receptors, feedback systems, tissue sensitivity to hormones and metabolic adaptation to postprandial, postabsorptive and fasting states. They should also know the role of the endocrine pancreas, liver, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, central nervous system, thyroid and adrenal gland in the regulation of energy and metabolic homeostasis.

Applying knowledge and understanding. Students should be able to describe and connect digestion, absorption, regulation of hunger and satiety, hormone secretion and metabolic adaptation within an integrated perspective. They should be able to explain how nutrients act not only as energetic and structural substrates, but also as signals able to modulate endocrine, metabolic and behavioural responses.

Making judgements. Students should acquire the ability to integrate information from different areas of physiology - gastrointestinal, endocrine, metabolic and neurobiological - in order to critically interpret the regulation of nutritional status and metabolic homeostasis. They should be able to distinguish between established concepts, emerging hypotheses and insufficiently supported interpretations, particularly in the field of endocrine disruptors, obesogens and their possible relationships with endocrine-metabolic diseases.

Communication skills. Students should use appropriate scientific language to describe the main mechanisms of nutrition physiology and endocrine-metabolic regulation, and should be able to present the biological significance of endocrine disruptors and obesogens in a balanced way, distinguishing among scientific evidence, potential risk and physiological or nutritional implications.

Learning skills. Students should acquire conceptual tools for independent study of nutrition physiology, endocrine regulation of metabolism and the relationships among diet, environment and health, using them as a basis for subsequent or related disciplines.

PREREQUISITES

To effectively address the course contents, basic knowledge of biochemistry, physiology, genetics and pathology is required.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching method includes frontal lectures, laboratory, team work. Lessons are delivered through multimedia presentations. Frequency is highly recommended.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Nutrition physiology and endocrine-metabolic regulation. Functional organization of the gastrointestinal tract. Digestion and absorption of macronutrients. Enteric nervous system, autonomic control and gastrointestinal hormones. Enteroendocrine cells, nutrient sensing, incretins and the gut-pancreas axis. Regulation of hunger and satiety: gastrointestinal signals, ghrelin, leptin, insulin, hypothalamus and reward circuits. General principles of metabolic endocrinology: hormone signalling, membrane and nuclear receptors, endocrine feedback, tissue sensitivity and integration of postprandial, postabsorptive and fasting states. Endocrine-metabolic role of pancreas, liver, muscle, adipose tissue, thyroid, adrenal gland and central nervous system. Adipose tissue as an endocrine organ, adipokines, metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance.

Endocrine disruptors, obesogens and metabolic disorders. Definition and mechanisms of action of endocrine disruptors. Critical windows of exposure, low-dose effects, non-monotonic responses, mixture effects and epigenetics. Main classes of endocrine disruptors relevant to nutrition and the food chain: bisphenols, phthalates, PFAS, pesticides, dioxins, PCBs and other persistent contaminants or compounds derived from food-contact materials. Interference with steroid, thyroid, PPAR/RXR and AhR receptors and metabolic pathways. Obesogens and metabolic disruptors: effects on adipogenesis, adipose tissue, energy metabolism, insulin signalling, inflammation and cardiometabolic risk. Metabolic syndrome, obesity and impaired endocrine-metabolic communication. PMOS/PCOS as a model of integrated endocrine-metabolic disease, with reference to hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, adiposity, inflammation and possible interactions with environmental exposures.

The part taught by the colleague will cover stress response, nervous and endocrine branches of the stress response, metabolic effects of catecholamines and cortisol, eustress and distress, allostasis and allostatic load, stress and metabolic disorders, basal metabolic rate, energy balance and professional tools used by nutrition biologists. 

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

-Debellis, Poli. Alimentazione, nutrizione e salute. Edises

-Silverthorn Fisiologia CEA

The multimedia material used during the lessons will be made available on AulaWeb, together with any useful articles (also in english) for the deepening of certain topics.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ILARIA DEMORI (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

For lessons start and timetable go to the link: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of an oral interview of about thirty minutes, conducted by a commission consisting of at least two members, during which the student will have to explain some of the topics covered in class. At least 2 calls will be available in the winter session (January-February) and 5 calls in the summer session (June, July, September).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The Commission verifies the achievement of the educational objectives by asking different questions related to the program actually carried out during the lessons. Details on the degree of in-depth knowledge for each topic will be provided during the lessons.

The oral examination allows to evaluate the knowledge of the fundamental elements of the subject and the ability to link the various topics. During the interview the Commission will verify if the student has acquired the ability to apply the theoretical concepts to simple concrete contexts. The quality of the speech and the use of the correct specialized scientific terminology will also be evaluated. When the training objectives are not achieved, the student is invited to better verify his / her knowledge and possibly to make use of further explanations by contacting the teacher in charge of the course.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Regular frequency is strongly recommended.