Emphasis is placed on the practical and integrative aspects of human physiology and neurobiology. The general purpose of the course is to offer students an opportunity not only to acquire knowledge of normal human body function but also to analyze physiologic problems that may be encountered in disease. This course covers endocrinology, reproductive physiology, human development and selected aspects of endocrine pathophysiology in a multidisciplinary approach. The course offers an overview of the structural, functional and biochemical aspects of the cells and organs of internal secretion and of those tissues that are prime targets of hormones secreted by endocrine glands. The course consists of an in-depth consideration of hypothalamic, pituitary, thyroid, endocrine pancreas, parathyroid, adrenal and gonadal function as well as detailed discussion of such hormonally dependent exocrine glands as the seminal vesicles, prostate, endometrium and mammary glands.
Special emphasis is placed on spermiation, ovulation, fertilization, implantation and pregnancy.
In addition, human reproduction and the use of antifertility agents in the control of population growth are discussed. Although the course consists primarily of basic-science material, a significant portion is devoted to the presentation and discussion of selected clinical cases that exemplify derangement of male and female endocrine and reproductive function. In order to do ethical analysis, students must understand certain issues in clinical medicine and behavioral medicine. In this course, students are divided into small groups to discuss cases in a problem-based format. Each group has two faculty facilitators who guide the discussions.