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PHYS30270

Academic Year 2024/2025

The Brain and Motor Control (PHYS30270)

Subject:
Physiology
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Medicine
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Jeffrey Glennon
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module outlines the main structures within the brain and central nervous system, which co-ordinate neuromuscular activity. It addresses the initiation and integration of information between muscle and brain. Topics include skeletal muscle contraction, metabolism, and brain centres involved in perception, sensory and motor control. In addition, the regulation of core brain-muscle coordinated behaviours such as walking and balance are covered. Important clinical phenotypes relevant to neuromuscular control are highlighted.

Tutorial and/or practical demonstration sessions focused on selected topics will also be carried out.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the module students should be able to:
Describe the mechanisms underlying brain-muscle interaction.
Describe those factors affecting brain-muscle information flow from transduction and integration to motor outcome in the central nervous system.
Explain the integrated control of movement and locomotion
Describe the neural basis of complex behaviours, the process of neural plasticity and the neural basis of learning and memory.
Describe the biology underlying clinically relevant neuromuscular diseases

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

96
Lectures

20
Small Group

4
Total

120

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Small group lectures, tutorials and / or practicals

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Pre-requisite:
ANAT20030 - Basic Tissues & Early Develop, PHYS20040 - Cell and Tissue Physiology, PHYS20050 - Cell-Cell Communication

Additional Information:
Module descriptor change required to read required modules as PHYS20040 OR PHYS20050 OR ANAT20030. Currently reads AND and should read OR instead.


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Continuous assessment 1. Short answer questions. Covers lectures 1-10. Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
15
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Continuous assessment 2. Short answer questions. Covers lectures 11-20. Week 11 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
15
 No
Exam (In-person): Examination. Essay questions. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Standard conversion grade scale 40% Yes
70
 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be provided on request from students

Vander’s Human Physiology 15th edition (2017). Ed. Widmaier, Raff and Strang.

Neuroscience. Purves. 6th edition (2018).

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 16:00 - 16:50
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