Human Anatomy (2 year)

The aim of the Course of Neuroanatomy is to:
- Provide an overview of the ultrastructure of neurons and glia and the major cytoarchitectural features of the connections between neurons (brain barrier);
- Describe the difference between grey matter (e.g. nuclei, cortex and basal nuclei/ganglia) and white matter;
- Provide the morphological basis of the impulse transmission of neurons;
- Provide the basic features of the topography and structural organization of the forebrain (cerebral hemispheres), the midbrain (amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, pituitary gland), the brainstem/hindbrain (pons, medulla oblongata and cerebellum), with definition of sensitive and motor tracts and cortical areas;
- Describe the morphological features and the blood supply and venous drainage of the different organs so to deduce the impact of rupture and occlusion of the vessels;
- Describe the anatomical basis of the reflexes (myotatic, tendon an those involving cranial nerves), that are critical for clinical diagnosis and for the basic understanding of the principles of motor control;
- Describe the basic features of development of the nervous system and of the common malformations that occur in the nervous system;
- Obtain an understanding of the functional anatomy of sensory and motor processing and higher cerebral functions such as language and emotions and to be able to apply this knowledge to the clinical situation.

At the end of the Course of Neuroanatomy, the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate the knowledge and the understanding of the basic anatomy of the nervous system, also by using the radiological imaging;
- Have clearly understood the complexity and interconnectedness of the central nervous system;
- Apply the basic mechanisms of the development of the nervous system to the interpretation of the common malformations;
- Apply the knowledge of the neuroanatomy to the sensory and motor processing and higher cerebral functions such as language and emotions and also to apply this knowledge to the interpretation of the clinical situation, embracing imaging technology and especially the resulting images,
- Understand that the knowledge of the normal functions of nervous system components make possible that, when malfunction is observed, to work backward and determine which structure or structures are affected.