Course overview
This course aims to introduce students to essential concepts in the field of neurophysiology. Students will undertake a detailed study of neurotransmission - the cellular basis of neural communication. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the detection, processing and perception of sensory information from the skin, musculoskeletal system, viscera, and special sense organs. Particular emphasis will be placed on sensation of actual or potential tissue damage, and how this sensory information is detected, processed, and perceived as pain. Students will also apply understanding of neurotransmission to study and explain the mechanism of action of drugs designed to alter neurotransmission and to explore the implications of this for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disease.
- Neural communication and role of glia
- From sensation to perception
- Neural control of body and behaviour
Course learning outcomes
- Explain membrane properties of neurons, glia, and neurotransmission at chemical synapses
- Apply foundational neurophysiology knowledge to explain and analyse how sensory information is detected in skeletal muscle, skin, joints, bone, and viscera, and in the special senses of vision, hearing, gustation, and olfaction
- Explain and analyse how non-harmful and harmful patterns of information are transmitted, processed, integrated, and acted upon by the body
- Describe and analyse how the autonomic nervous system controls organs and organ systems for maintenance of homeostasis
- Discuss the effect of certain types of drugs on neurotransmission at chemical synapses in the central and autonomic nervous system