Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Institute of Psychology and Educational Sciences :: Psychology

INTRODUÇÃO ÀS CIÊNCIAS DA VIDA - 2017/2018

1º curricular year
Semestralidade: 1st semester
ECTS: 6

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutora Sara Cruz
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutora Sara Cruz

Class type and School hours

Teórico-prática : 2 Horas
Prática Laboratorial : 1 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

Provide the student with knowledge about the biological foundations of behavior and the structural and functional organization of Nervous System.

Specific Aims/Objectives

To study the biological foundations of behaviors;
To know the basic unit of life (cell), its organelles and life cycle;
To understand the neuron as functional unity of the nervous system;
To understand the organization of the central nervous system and its organization;
To know the structure and function of the spinal cord and brain.

Skills to be acquired

At the end, students should have learned about the changes in brain organization throughout the evolution scale which have determined the consciousness level we possess nowadays; as well as a global comprehension of human beings and its diversity.

Teaching Procedures

Audiovisual resources to expose and discuss themes.
Share of support texts through e-learning platform.
Demonstrations of effects or phenomena mentioned in classes, using illustrative videos.

Programme

1: Historic introduction to the study of the biological foundations of behavior: neurosciences and its disciplines in the study of
behavior;
2: The cell:
- Structure and function of cell;
- Cycle and cell division;
- Cell transportation and metabolism;

3: The cells of the Nervous System:
- the neuron;
- glia cells;

4: Neural signs and inter-neuron communication:
- Neuron potentials: rest and action potentials;
- Synapse: definition, types and synaptic potentials;

5: Anatomic and functional organization of the Nervous System:
- Axis and anatomic reference plans;
- Central Nervous System;
- Peripheral Nervous System;
- Cranial nerves
- Meninges;
- Ventricular system;
- Brain vascularization;
- Blood-brain-barrier;

6: Structure of nervous system reflected from ontogenesis:
- Neural tube formation;
- Primary brain vesicles;
- Differentiation of prosencephalon, mesencephalon, rombencephalon and spinal cord.

7: Spinal cord:
- Localization and morphology;
- Macro and micro configuration;
- Anatomo-functional meaning;

8: Mielencephalon, metencephalon and mesencephalon:
- Localization and morphology;
- Macro and micro configuration;
- Anatomo-functional meaning;

9: Diencephalon:
- Localization and morphology;
- Macro and micro configuration;
- Anatomo-functional meaning;

10: Telencephalon:
- Localization and morphology;
- Macro and micro configuration;
- Anatomo-functional meaning;

Evaluation Type

Two written tests; Final exam.

Teaching Resources

- Computer and multimedia projector;
- Anatomic models of the brain and websites of neuroanatomy;

Sustainability Objectives

Keywords

Brain, neuron, neurosciences, behavior, cognition.

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography