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HUMAN AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTS

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Versione italiana
Academic year
2019/2020
Teacher
LUCIANO FADIGA
Credits
9
Didactic period
Primo Semestre

Training objectives

HUMAN AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTS
At the end of the course the student must have acquired a synthetic, clear and rational vision of the basic physiological mechanisms necessary to deal critically professional materials. In particular, the course aims at providing the basic knowledge about the neurophysiology, the physiology of the skeletal muscle, of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, renal and endocrine systems, and the resulting influences arising from an increase in motor activity.
ERGOGENIC SUPPORTS
At the end of the class, students will possess the background knowledge on the use of the most important food supplements and ergogenic aids and how they impact on the physical exercise and health.
The aim of the course is to make students aware of benefits coming from a correct assumption of these substances but also of health risks caused by the inappropriate use of them.

Prerequisites

HUMAN AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTS
Basic knowledge of physics, chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, cellular physiology and biophysics.
ERGOGENIC SUPPORTS
None

Course programme

HUMAN AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTS
Introduction to the study of physiology.
Definition of homeostasis. Intercellular communication. Endocrine glands and their hormones.
Hypothalamus-pituitary axis. Hormones of the adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis. Thyroid-parathyroid and control of blood calcium concentration. Adrenal glands. The endocrine pancreas and blood glucose level control. Male and female gonad hormones.
General properties of muscle. Skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle structure. Muscle contraction. Sliding filament theory. Excitation-contraction coupling. Cycle of calcium in muscle fibers. Tetanus. Muscle and bones as a system of levers and fulcra. Isometric and isotonic contraction. Types and characteristics of muscle fibers and motoneurons. The motor unit. Muscle plasticity. Muscle fatigue. Energetic of human locomotion. Nerve reflexes. Proprioception.
The autonomic nervous system.
The circulatory system. Cardiac muscle cells. The potential of cardiac contractile cells. Pacemaker cells and their potential. Myocardial cell mechanics. The conduction system of the heart. The cardiac cycle. The electrocardiogram. Blood vessels. Arterial pressure: principles of fluid dynamics. The Poiseuille law. Differential and average arterial pressure. Sphygmomanometer. Types of capillaries. Capillary exchanges.
Functional anatomy of the kidney. Filtration, reabsorption, secretion and excretion. Urine concentration. Renal clearance. Hydro-electrolyte balance. Acid-base balance. Hormone’s action on renal activity. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Vasopressin mechanism.
The respiratory system. Functional anatomy and respiratory mechanics. Ventilation. Pulmonary compliance. LaPlace's law and the alveolar surfactant. Exchange and transport of gases. Breathing control mechanisms.
Functions and functional anatomy of the digestive system. Nutrition principles. Motility of the digestive system. Secretory function. Digestion of various nutrition principles. Absorption of digestion products.
General organization of the nervous system. The cerebral cortex. Cortical areas. The motor cortex, the cerebellum. The basal ganglia. Electroencephalogram. Biological rhythms and sleep-wake cycle.
Somatosensory system. Pain and analgesia.
Sensory systems. The eye and the visual pathways. The ear and the auditory pathways. Vestibular system. Smell and taste.
ERGOGENIC SUPPORTS
Energy production system
Nutrition for athletes
Classification of ergogenic aids
Scientific evidence of food supplements-athlete performance relationship
Negative effects of food supplements on health

Didactic methods

Lectures

Learning assessment procedures

HUMAN AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTS
Written exam consisting of 60 questions (true or false response), Examination time: one hours.
Score: + 1 for each correct question, - 1 for every wrong question, 0 for every unanswered question; The test is passed with a minimum score of 36/60 (18/30). The vote, however, will not be the result of a mere mathematical calculation, but will also take into account the seriousness of the mistakes made, in the opinion of the commission.
ERGOGENIC SUPPORTS
Written test with 15 multiple-choice questions (OMR-based system). Time: 30 minutes
THE FINAL GRADE IS A WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF THE MARKS OBTAINED IN EACH OF THE TESTS.

Reference texts

HUMAN AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTS
Fisiologia umana, Fondamenti. Editore Edi-Ermes
Silverthorn D.U. Fisiologia Umana. Un approccio Integrato. Casa Ed. Pearson.
German W.J. and Stanfield C.L., Fisiologia umana, EdiSES.
Berne-Levy, Principi di Fisiologia, Casa Ed. Ambrosiana.
Alloatti et al., Fisiologia dell'Uomo. Edi Ermes
ERGOGENIC SUPPORTS
Material given by the teacher