Neurophysiology II

On completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. describe the gross structure of the eye and basic physiological optics; 2. draw a diagram of the retino-thalamo-cortical pathways; 3. describe the pupillary light reflex and its diagnostic value; 4. discuss the processing of information in the visual cortex and the consequence of a lesion in the higher visual association areas; 5. list the mechanical structures involved in sound detection; 6. draw a diagram of the auditory pathways including all central connections; 7. list the most important vestibular and associated reflexes; 8. list the major types of eye movements; 9. describe the location, structure, and afferent pathways of taste receptors; 10. describe the structure and function of the central taste centers; 11. describe the location, structure, and afferent pathways of smell receptors; and 12. explain how olfactory receptors are activated and the mechanism of olfactory transduction.

Physiology of vision: structure of the eyeball. Optics – eye an optical instrument. Refraction of light and refractive errors. Accommodation. Visual pathways and visual defects. Structure of retina. Biochemistry of vision. Visual acuity, fields of vision and color vision. Physiology of hearing: Auditory stimulus and sound appreciation. Sound characteristics: pitch, intensity and quality. Auditory pathways, neural basis of audition. Types of deafness and tests of both nerve functions. Audiometry. Vestibular pathway and vestibule-ocular reflex Physiology of taste: gustatory system receptors – taste buds and sensation of tastes. Afferent pathways. Tests for taste and abnormality of taste. Physiology of smell: olfactory receptors and pathways. Tests of olfaction. Abnormalities of olfaction and olfactometry.