Learning objectives
For students of the degree course in orthoptics: to provide detailed knowledge of the sense organs and the visual system.
For students of the degree course in hearing aid techniques: provide detailed knowledge of the sense organs and the auditory system.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of anatomo-physiological features of the nervous system. Basic knowledge of the physiology of the nerve cell.
Course unit content
Anatomo-physiological aspects of the sense organs with particular emphasis on the vestibular pathways
The part of the course reserved for students of the degree course in orthoptics will deal with the anatomical-functional aspects of the retina, the visual pathways and primary and higher-order visual areas and the brain structures responsible for controlling eye movements.
The part of the course reserved for students of the degree course in hearing aid techniques will deal with the anatomical-physiological aspects of the ear, the auditory pathways and the acoustic cortices.
Full programme
Anatomo-functional organization of the sensory systems starting from the peripheral structures up to the portions concerning the central nervous system, with particular emphasis on the vestibular system.
For the part of the course dedicated exclusively to students of the orthoptic degree course: Notes on the anatomy of the eye. Structure of the retina and photo transduction process. Characteristics of ganglion cells. Anatomy of the visual pathways from the retina to the primary visual cortex. Magnocellular and parvocellular pathways. Deficits resulting from lesions of the visual pathways. Neuronal structure and characteristics of the primary visual cortex. Visual avenues of higher order. Perception of movement, depth, shape and color. Visual attention. Agnosie. Subcortical and cortical control of the different types of eye movements. Eye reflexes.
For the part of the course dedicated exclusively to students of the audioprosthetic techniques course: Structure and function of the external and middle ear, of the cochlea and of the acoustic nerve. Anatomical and functional organization of the auditory pathways, the medial geniculate nucleus and the acoustic cortices.
Bibliography
For the part of the sense organs the same books recommended for the physiology module:
Neurofisiologia. Di Battaglini, Faraguna, Fogassi, Rozzi. Della Edra editore.
Le Neuroscienze: dalla fisiologia alla clinica. Di Franco Fabbro della Carocci editore.
Fondamenti anatomo fisiologici dell'attività psichica della Poletto Editore.
Le neuroscienze: dalla fisiologia alla clinica della Carocci Editore, esclusivamente i capitoli riguardanti le proprietà generali del sistema nervoso.
For the part of the course dedicated to students of the orthoptic degree course:Chapters on the visual system, from "Principal of Neural Science. of Kandel, Schwartz and Jessel.". or "Essentials of Neural Science and Behavior of of Kandel, Schwartz and Jessel."
For the part of the course dedicated to students of the degree course in hearing aid techniques: Chapters on the auditory system, from "Principal of Neural Science. of Kandel, Schwartz and Jessel.". or "Essentials of Neural Science and Behavior of of Kandel, Schwartz and Jessel."
Teaching methods
Traditional lessons
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination
Other information
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