Physiology: Course Contents

Nerve and muscle
1. The neuron-structure and functions
2. Properties of nerve fibres
3. Physiology of action potential including compound action potentials
4. Conduction of nerve impulse, nerve degeneration and regenerationSynapses
5. Types of muscle, functions
6. Skeletal muscle contraction
7. Isometric and isotonic contraction
8. Smooth muscle contraction
9. Neuromuscular junction
10. Excitation-contraction coupling
11. Motor unit
12. Neuromuscular junction blockers
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Nerve conduction studies
2. Electromyograms (EMG)
3. Nerve injury
4. Rigor mortis and contractures
5. Myasthenia gravis
6. Myopathies/Neuropathies
Cardiovascular system
1. Introduction to heart and circulation
2. Properties of cardiac muscle
3. Action potential in atrial and ventricular muscle and pace-makerpotential
4. Artificial pacemaker
5. Cardiac impulse- origin and propagation
6. Cardiac cycle Regulation of cardiac functions
7. ECG-recording and interpretation
8. Arrhythmias- mechanism of development
9. Functional types of blood vessels
10. Haemodynamics of blood flow
11. Local control of blood flow
12. Systemic circulation - basic principles/characteristics and control
13. Cardiac output (regulation/measurement) peripheral resistance andits regulation
14. Arterial pulse
15. Arterial blood pressure (short/long term regulation)
16. Heart sounds/murmurs
17. Venous return and its regulation
18. Coronary circulation
19. Splanchnic circulation
20. Cerebral circulation
21. Cutaneous circulation- Triple response
22. Foetal circulation and readjustments at birth
23. Cardiovascular changes during exercise
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Correlation of cardiac cycle with Electrocardiogram (ECG) andheart sounds Echocardiogram
2. Significance of apex beat / abnormalities
3. ECG interpretation in cardiac muscle abnormalities and cardiacarrhythmias
4. Flutter, fibrillation, ectopic beats
5. Conduction defects
6. Radial/other pulses
7. Hypertension, types and effects
8. Clinical evaluation of heart sounds and murmurs
9. Jugular venous pulse
10. Ischemic heart disease
11. Cerebrovascular accidents
12. Types of heart failure and circulatory shock
Respiratory system
1. Organization/functions of respiratory tract
2. Functions of lungs (respiratory and non-respiratory)
3. Mechanics of breathing, pulmonary pressure changes
4. Surfactant and compliance
5. Protective reflexes
6. Lung volumes and capacities
7. Dead spaces
8. Diffusion of gases (gas laws, composition)
9. Pulmonary Circulation Ventilation / perfusion
10. Transport of O2 in blood O2/CO2 disassociation curves
11. Transport of CO2 in blood
12. Regulation of respiration (nervous/chemical)
13. Abnormal breathing
14. Hypoxia-types and effects
15. Physiology of cyanosis
16. Physiology of high altitude, space, deep sea diving
17. Oxygen debt
18. Respiratory changes during exercise
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Examination of chest
2. Types of respiration (intrapleural pressure, pneumothorax,effusion)
3. Atalectasis
4. Lung function tests (Spirometry)
5. Sneezing, yawning, cough
6. Obstructive / Restrictive lung disease (FEV1/FVC)
7. Abnormal Ventilation / Perfusion
8. Respiratory failure: Types I & II
9. Asphyxia
10. Hypoxia, cyanosis, dyspnoea, hypo- and hypercapnoea
11. Artificial respiration
12. Oxygen therapy and its toxicity
13. Caisson‟s disease
Body fluids and kidneys
1. Compartments of body fluids and measurement
2. Tissue and lymph fluids
3. Fluid excess / depletion
4. Structure of kidney / nephron
5. General functions of kidney
6. GFR-factors regulating
7. Formation of urine, filtration, reabsorption, secretion
8. Plasma clearance
9. Concentration and dilution of urine
10. Electrolyte balance
11. Water balance
12. Regulation of blood pressure by kidneys
13. Hormones of kidneys
14. Acidification of urine
15. Acid-Base balance
16. Micturition
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Renal function tests
2. Renal failure/uraemia
3. Nephrotic syndrome
4. Artificial kidney/haemodialysis
5. Metabolic acidosis/alkalosis
6. Abnormalities of micturition including incontinence
Gastrointestinal tract (GIT)
1. Different parts of the GIT and their functions
2. Enteric nervous system (gut, brain)
3. Mastication, swallowing and their control
4. Functions and movements of stomach Functions of pancreas
5. Functions and movements of small intestine
6. Functions and movements of large intestine
7. Hormones of GIT
8. Vomiting and its pathway
9. Defecation and its pathway Regulation of feeding and energyexpenditure
10. Functions of liver/gall bladder
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Dysphagia, achalasia of oesophagus
2. Examination of abdomen, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis
3. Gastric function tests
4. Vomiting and its effects
5. Diarrhoea, constipation
6. Jaundice, liver functions tests
Nervous system
1. Organization of nervous system
2. Classification of nerve fibres
3. Properties of synaptic transmission
4. Neurotransmitters and neuropeptides
5. Types and function of sensory receptors
6. Functions of spinal cord and tracts
7. Reflex action/reflexes
8. Muscle spindle/muscle tone
9. Tactile, temperature and pain sensations Structure of cerebralcortex
10. Sensory Cortex
11. Motor Cortex
12. Motor pathways (pyramidal and extra pyramidal)
13. Basal ganglia, connections and functions
14. Cerebellum, connections and functions
15. Vestibular apparatus/regulation of posture and equilibrium
16. State of brain activity Reticular formation
17. Physiology of sleep
18. Electroencephalogram (EEG) Physiology of memory
19. Physiology of speech
20. Thalamus- nuclei and functions
21. Hypothalamus and limbic system
22. Cerebrospinal fluid
23. Regulation of body temperature
24. Function of skin
25. Autonomic nervous system
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Significance of dermatomes
2. Receptors and neurotransmitters (applied aspect)
3. Interpretation of reflexes
4. Injuries and diseases of spinal cord, analgesia system
5. Disorders of cranial nerves
6. Hemiplegia / paraplegia, Upper and lower motor neuron lesions:features and localisation
7. Parkinsonism and other lesions of basal ganglia
8. Cerebellar disorders
9. Postural disorders
10. Epilepsy
11. Sleep disorders
12. Higher mental function assessment
13. Alzhiemer‟s disease
14. Abnormalities of speech
15. Thalamic syndrome
16. Lesion of hypothalamus
17. Hydrocephalous
18. Heat Stroke
Special senses
1. Accommodation of eye
2. Visual acuity
3. Photochemistry of vision
4. Colour vision
5. Dark and light adaptation Neural function of retina
6. Visual pathway, light reflex and pathway Visual cortex
7. Eye movements and control
8. Physiological anatomy of cochlea
9. Functions of external and middle ear
10. Functions of inner ear- organ of Corti
11. Auditory pathway
12. Physiology of smell - receptors and pathway
13. Physiology of taste
14. Olfaction/taste abnormalities
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Glaucoma
2. Errors of refraction
3. Colour blindness, fundoscopy
4. Field of vision and lesions of visual pathway, visual evokedpotentials and electroretinogram
5. Rinne‟s and Weber‟s tests
6. Hearing test audiometry, types of deafness, auditory evokedpotentials
Endocrinology
1. General principles (classification, mechanism of action, feedbackcontrol)
2. Biosynthesis, transport, metabolism, actions and control of secretionof hormones of:
3. Hypothalamus
4. Anterior pituitary
5. Posterior pituitary
6. Thyroid gland
7. Parathyroid, calcitonin and calcitriol
8. Adrenal medulla
9. Adrenal cortex
10. Pancreas
11. GIT
12. Pineal gland
13. Thymus
14. Kidney
15. Physiology of growth
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Hormonal assays
2. Panhypopituitarism, dwarfism acromegaly, gigantism, Sheehan‟ssyndrome
3. Diabetes insipidus, syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion
4. Myxoedema, cretinism, thyrotoxicosis
5. Tetany
6. Pheochromocytoma
7. Cushing‟s syndrome, Conn‟s syndrome, Addison‟s disease,adrenogenital syndrome
8. Diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia, Zollinger Ellison‟ssyndrome
Reproduction
1. Functional anatomy of male reproductive system
2. Spermatogenesis
3. Semen analysis
4. Erection and ejaculation
5. Testosterone
6. Male puberty
7. Functional anatomy and physiology of female Reproductive system,gonads and oogenesis
8. Oestrogen and progesterone
9. Menstrual cycle
10. Puberty and menopause
11. Pregnancy- physiological changes in mother‟s body duringpregnancy
12. Placenta
13. Parturition
14. Lactation
15. Foetal and neonatal physiology
Clinical/Applied Concepts
1. Chromosomal abnormalities
2. Male infertility
3. Female infertility
4. Contraception
5. Pregnancy Tests

EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY HAEMATOLOGY
1. Study of the microscope
2. Determination of:
3. Haemoglobin (Hb%)
4. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
5. Packed Cell volume (PCV)/Haematocrit
6. Bleeding Time (BT)
7. Clotting Time (CT)
8. Blood groups
9. Study of the Neubauer chamber
10. RBC count
11. Red cell indices
12. Osmotic fragility of RBCs
13. Platelet count
14. WBC count
15. Differential Leucocyte Count (DLC)
16. Demonstration of prothrombin time and thrombin time
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
1. Clinical examination of chest
2. Measurement of pulmonary volumes and capacities (Spirometry)
Auscultation
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
1. Study of the effects of temperature on cardiac contractility
2. Effect of drugs on cardiac contractility
3. Effect of inorganic ions on cardiac contractility
4. Properties of cardiac muscle in frog‟s heart (demonstration)
5. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation/ demonstration on subject
6. Cold pressure test
7. Triple response
8. Examination of arterial pulse
9. ECG recording/interpretation
10. Measurement of arterial blood pressure
11. Effect of exercise and posture on BP
12. Examination of apex beat
13. Heart sounds - auscultation of normal sounds/murmurs
Demonstration/Dissection:
1. Simple muscle twitch (SMT) in frog
2. Effect of fatigue on muscle contraction
3. Tatanization in frog‟s muscle
4. Effect of two successive stimuli on SMT
5. Effect of preload and after load on SMT
6. Determination of velocity of conduction in sciatic nerve
7. Miscellaneous
8. Flame photometry
9. Vitalograph
10. Nerve conduction studies
11. Muscle conduction studies
12. Evoked Potential
13. Use of Physiograph (polygraph)
14. Elicit fatigue in human index finger
Nervous System
1. Examination of superficial reflexes
2. Examination of deep reflexes
3. Examination of sensory, motor system
4. Clinical examination of cranial nerves
5. Cerebellar function tests
Special Senses
1. Field of vision by confrontation method
2. Field of vision by perimetry
3. Light reflex
4. Ophthalmoscopy
5. Visual acuity
6. Colour vision
7. Hearing tests- audiometry/tuning fork tests
8. Taste sensation
9. Olfaction sensation
Miscellaneous
1. Recording of body temperature
2. Pregnancy tests