Overview

This unit provides students with an understanding of the role the nervous system has in regulation of body homeostasis. Students will undertake a detailed study of the cellular basis of neural communication. Students will be able to apply this understanding to provide explanation of drug action, and understand the sensation and perception of pain. Students will gain skills in conducting simple laboratory procedures and interpretation of data.

Requisites

Prerequisites
BIO10004 Anatomy and Physiology
Antirequisites
NEU20006 Neurophysiology

Anti-requisite
HET242 - Introductory Neurophysiology (Discontinued)

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Explain the physiological basis of somatosensation, pain, olfaction, gustation, vision, hearing, balance and motor control
  • Explain how nerve cells communicate with each other chemically and electrically, and how specific pharmaceutical drugs can affect nerve cell function
  • Discuss the roles of the nervous system and the endocrine system in the control of the human body
  • Compare and contrast skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle with particular emphasis on the relationship between structure and function
  • Carry out and report the results of psychophysical and physiological recordings to measure the properties of nerves, muscles and sensory receptors in humans and in animal tissues

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

ype Activity Total Hours Number of Weeks Hours Per Week
Online Lecture 24 12 weeks 2
On-campus Practical 12 6 weeks 2
On-campus Class 12 12 weeks 1
Specified Activities Various 24 12 weeks 2
Unspecified Activities Independent Learning 78 12 weeks 6.5
Total Hours: 150 Total Hours (per week): 13.5

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Mid-Semester Test Individual  30%  1,2,3,4 
Final-Semester Test Individual  30%  1,2,3,4
Project Report Individual  40%  1,2,3,4,5 

Content

  • Neural tissue; the basis of bioelectrical phenomena, resting potential, graded potential, and action potential
  • Somatosensory system: touch, pressure, pain and temperature receptors
  • Major afferent pathways; subcortical and cortical regions, sensory homunculus, sensory areas SI, Sll, psychophysics; perception
  • Pain pathways and endogenous analgesia; pain suppression
  • Neuropharmacology: Introduction to receptors; receptor activation, major antidepressant classes; drug dynamics, clearance, routes of administration; drug treatment in some clinical disorders
  • Special senses (vision, hearing, equilibrium, taste, smell)
  • Physiology of the motor system and the muscular system
  • Electrophysiological recording techniques

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.