DETAILED COURSE SCHEDULE OF HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
FALL/WINTER SEMESTER 2013/2014

LABORATORY CLASS 1 - INTRODUCTION AND NEUROPHYSIOLOGY (09-10.10.13)
Introduction to the practical classes of human physiology. Electrical signals in neurons. Action potentials 
along an axon. Electrical properties of neurons: resting membrane potentials and action potentials of 
neurons; relative and absolute refractory periods; chronaxy and rheobase (simulation programs).

LABORATORY CLASS 2 – NEUROPHYSIOLOGY (16-17.10.13.)
Study of spinal reflexes. Monosynaptic and polysynaptic somatic motor reflexes: flexion reflexes; crossed 
extensor reflexes; myotatic reflexes – the patellar tendon (knee jerk) reflex. Examination of reaction times 
to visual, auditory and tactile stimuli.

LABORATORY CLASS 3 – NEUROPHYSIOLOGY (23-24.10.13)
Sensory physiology the eye and vision: calculation of the visual field by automated perimetry exam; 
subjective and objective methods of the eye investigation; ophthalmoscopy; measurements of the visual 
acuity, contrast sensitivity and colors vision,;binocular vision, stereoscopic depth perception, central and 
peripheral vision; the retinal and cortical mechanisms of the visual illusions. Assessment of papillary 
reflexes. The Stroop test. Principles of electroencephalography.

LABORATORY CLASS 4 – NEUROPHYSIOLOGY (30-31.10.13)
Sensory physiology continue: hearing, sound transmission through the ear, (the Rinne and the Weber 
tests); the ear: equilibrium, the vestibular apparatus (the vestibulo-ocular reflex, the vestibulo-spinal 
reflex); Chemoreception smell and taste: (distribution of taste buds), touch receptors in skin; a receptive 
fields, two-point discrimination.
NEUROPHYSIOLOGY TEST

LABORATORY CLASS 5 - PHYSIOLOGY OF MUSCLES (06-07.11.13)
Skeletal muscle: electrical and mechanical events in muscle contraction. Summation of contractions. 
Incomplete and complete tetanus contractions of muscles. Isotonic, isometric contractions. The 
relationship between load and velocity (speed) of contraction. Muscular single twitch response as a 
function of the stimulation activity. Mechanisms of muscular fatigue.

LABORATORY CLASS 6 - PHYSIOLOGY OF MUSCLES (20-21.11.13.)
Electromyography. Structure and function of the contractile system in smooth muscles. Electro-oculography. Single-unit and multi-unit smooth muscles ,structure and neural control (autonomic 
neurotransmitters, (simulation programs).

LABORATORY CLASS 7 – PHYSIOLOGY OF MUSCLES (27-28.11.13.)
Cardiac muscle and the heart. Myocardial autorhythmic cells. The stages of the cardiac action potential. 
Heart rate under the influence of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system. Electrical stimulation of a 
frog heart (stimulation experiment program). Effects of various drugs, hormones, ions and temperature on 
heart rate. 
PHYSIOLOGY OF MUSCLES TEST

LABORATORY CLASS 8 - PHYSIOLOGY OF BLOOD (04-05.12.13.)
Plasma and the cellular elements of blood Composition of blood. Red blood cells: Osmotic changes to the 
red blood cell shape. Red cell fragility test. The red blood cell count. The hematocrit measurement. The 
hemoglobin content determination. Determination of red blood cells indices

LABORATORY CLASS 9 - PHYSIOLOGY OF BLOOD (11-12.12.13)
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Hemostasis: clotting and bleeding time tests. Prothrombin Time 
(PT) Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT). The coagulation cascade. Coagulation and fibrinolysis. Factors 
involved in coagulation.

LABORATORY CLASS 10 - PHYSIOLOGY OF BLOOD (18-19.12.13)
White blood cells: White blood cell count. Differential white cell count. ABO/Rh Blood Group typing, 
the Rh System. Chemical buffer systems.
PHYSIOLOGY OF BLOOD AND IMMUNE SYSTEM TEST

LABORATORY CLASS 11 THE CARDIOVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY (15-16.01.14)
Artery blood pressure: Determination of the systolic blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer, 
cardiomicrophon and detection of a peripheral pulse. Measurements of the artery blood pressure by 
sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. Analyze of the differences between measurements on the right 
and left arm, between different types of the sphygmomanometers and different size of cuff. Estimation 
of MAP (mean arterial blood pressure)., stroke volume, CO (cardiac output) Orthostatic reaction of the 
artery blood pressure.

LABORATORY CLASS 12 - THE CARDIOVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY (22-23.01.14)
Electrocardiography and Heart sounds: Auscultation, normal heart sounds measured by a stethoscope and 
a cardiomicrophon. ECG- the transthoracic electrical activity of the heart , Limb bipolar, augmented and 
precordial unipolar leads; electrical activity record of the limb leads I, II and III – Einthovent’s triangle 
and axial reference system. Identification and analysis of the amplitude and the duration of the major 
components of the ECG (P wave, QRS complex, T wave, QT-interval). Calculation of the heart rate from 
ECG. The time relationships between electrical and mechanical activity of the heart, simultaneously 
measured by ECG and by the auscultation. The heart rate variability between individuals. Respiratory 
sinus arrhythmia. Contraction of the ventricular mean electrical axis.