B000296 - ANATOMICAL AND PSHYSIOLOGICAL FUNDAMENTALS OF PSYCHIC PROCESSES

italian

Neurons. Resting potential, action potential. Synaptic transmission. Synaptic plasticity. Nervous system: gross anatomy and anatomical-functional organization. Sensory systems and motor system. Associative areas. Hypothalamus, homeostasis, motivation. Endogenous reward system. Biological basis of adaptive processes. Innate and acquired behaviours. Memory systems. Biological basis of memory.

one of the following:

- Kandel E.R., Schwartz J., Jessel T. (2000). Fondamenti di neuroscienze e del comportamento. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.

or:
- - Squire LR, Berg D, Bloom FE, du Lac S, Ghosh A, Spitzer NC (2016). Fondamenti di Neuroscienze. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano

Slides with all lesson contents will be made available on the web site of the course of the Unifi e-learning platform (Moodle).

Knowledge and understanding


The course aims at providing the fundamentals for studying and understanding the biological and physiological basis and correlates of behaviour.
In particular, the aim is to provide:
the principles necessary to understand nerve cell function and synaptic transmission.
the anatomical and functional basis of perception and movement.
the principles of integrative functions.
the essentials of neural plasticity and its role in learning and memory and inallowing experience to mould behaviour.

Topics covered are:
Nerve cells and neural signals. Neurons: structure and properties. Rest potential: electrical and concentration gradients; pumps and ionic channels. Passive membrane properties; electrotonic conduction. Action potential and its propagation. Synaptic transmission. Ionotropic and metabotropic synaptic receptors. G-proteins, second messengers and signal transduction. Neurotransmitters. Synaptic plasticity.
Sensory systems and motor system. Central nervous system: gross anatomy and anatomic-functional organization. Sensory receptors and sensory transduction. Signal coding. Somatosensory system. Visual system. Auditory system. Organization of motor systems. Cortical motor areas and cortico-spinal system. Basal ganglia. Cerebellum. Posture control. Voluntary movement. Associative areas. Autonomic nervous system. Hypothalamus, homeostasis, motivation. Amigdala. Endogenous reward system. Integrative functions. Biological basis of adaptive processes. Innate and acquired behaviours. Memory systems. Biological basis of memory.
In illustrating these topics, attention will be devoted to put them in relation with issues in psychology research, in particular in psychobiology.


Applying knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course, students are expected to know and understand the fundamentals of biological and physiological basis of behaviour, to know how to apply this knowledge also in studying other psychological subjects; to know how to apply this knowledge to critically read and understand the results of scientific papers in psychobiology.
Acquisition of these skills will be stimulated encouraging students to make links between psychobiology approach and the study of other psychological disciplines and training them to understand and draw conclusions from data presented in graph form.


Making judgements

Students will be encouraged to reflect on which experimental results are used to propose an hypothesis in psychobiology, on the limits imposed by the experimental protocols and tools employed on the conclusions which can be drawn by the results obtained in a psychobiology research.


Communication skills

Communication skills will be stimulated via discussions and practical tests during classes; at the end of the course students are expected to know how to organize and clearly express him/herself.

Learning skills

Topics covered within this course, and within the other first year psychology courses, are essential to fully profit of the courses taught in the second and third year.
Teaching also aims to help students in developing effective learning skills, both for continuing the studies and for keeping oneself up to date in the fields of interest

none

Teaching methods are indicated for every specific learning result expected

Knowledge and understanding
Lectures

Applying knowledge and understanding
Discussions and practical tests during classes (6 hours practice and 6 hours practice and assessement)


Making judgements
Discussion of the scientific results which underlie the present knowledge in the topics covered by the program.

Communication skills
Provide examples of complete and synthetic answers to the open questions present in the exam test and stimulate the students to formulate such answers by themselves.


Learning skills
Lectures.

none

Knowledge and understanding
Written exam composed of two types of questions, open questions, short questions requiring concise answers and true or false questions with compulsory justification of the choice operated. Correctness and completeness of responses and correctness of True/false choice are evaluated. Oral exam. Correctness and completeness of responses are evaluated.
Further information on exam modalities and examples of written exam tests are available on the course site on e-learning Moodle platform.

Applying knowledge and understanding
Tests during classes, implying discussion on examples of typical written exam questions; solving of small problems and interpretation of graphs in the written and oral exam.


Making judgements
Discussion of the scientific evidence supporting the current knowledge on the different topics covered by the program in the written and oral exam. Presentation of small problems requiring the student to justify the conclusions drawn by a set of experiments in the written and oral exam.

Communication skills
To be able to provide complete, clear and pertinent answers to open questions and justifications to true or false questions; completeness and clearness of answers in the oral exam.


Learning skills
Possess of the knowledge necessary to fully profit of the courses in the subsequent years of the Corso di Laurea will be assessed with the written and oral exam already described and within the discussions during classes and practical tests

Nerve cells and neural signals. Neurons: structure and properties. Resting potential: electrical and concentration gradients; pumps and ionic channels. Passive membrane properties; electrotonic conduction. Action potential and its propagation. Synaptic transmission. Ionotropic and metabotropic synaptic receptors. G-proteins, second messengers and signal transduction. Neurotransmitters. Synaptic plasticity.
Sensory systems and motor system. Central nervous system: gross anatomy and anatomic-functional organization. Sensory receptors and sensory transduction. Signal coding. Somatosensory system. Visual system. Auditory system. Organization of motor systems. Cortical motor areas and cortico-spinal system. Basal ganglia. Cerebellum. Posture control. Voluntary movement. Associative areas. Autonomic nervous system. Hypothalamus, homeostasis, motivation. Amigdala. Endogenous reward system. Integrative functions. Biological basis of adaptive processes. Innate and acquired behaviours. Memory systems. Biological basis of memory.