physiology

Pain & Nociception

What is pain? It is an unpleasant sensation, with a protective function Definition: unpleasant sensory & emotional experience associated with actual/potential tissue damange What influences the pain you feel? Individual coping strategies Attitudes Previous pain experience Cognitive understanding Cultural factors Current emotional state Onset Sudden Mechanical Vascular Traumatic Toxic Gradual Infective Inflammatory Neoplastic Degenerative Endocrine…

Blood-brain barrier

Blood brain barrier: Tight junctions in the endothelium of brain vessels & thick basal lamina surrounding the external face of the capillary & feet of astrocytes. separation of circulating blood and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) in the central nervous system (CNS) Function: physical barrier system of cellular transport mechanisms maintains homeostasis restrict entrances of harmful chemicals from…

Bone Physiology

Structure & Composition of bone Structure specialized connective tissue with minerals within infrastructure organic compounds: osteogenic cells osteoblasts osteocytes osteoclasts Tissue components of bone Osteoid (major) 30% of total skeleton mass Made up of Organic matrix 90-95% of organic matrix : type 1 collagen fibers Ground substance ECF glycoproteins proteoglycans chondroitin sulfate hyaluronic acid Osteocalcin…

Micturition

Micturition: Process by which urinary bladder empties. It is a complex act involving both autonomic & somatic nerve pathways & several reflexes that can be either inhibited or facilitated by higher centers in the brain. Micturition involves 2 important steps: Bladder fills progressively tension in bladder wall increases Initiates a nervous reflex micturition reflex: empties…

Kidney & Blood Pressure

The arterial system is not very distensible (if distensible, then BP can be easily maintained when there is increase in volume), therefore arterial blood volume ∞ arterial blood pressure. Determinants of arterial BP Cardiac Output (CO) Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR) Therefore, BP = CO x TPR Scenario Effect of increase in blood volume towards blood…

Renal Blood Flow & GFR

-IMCOMPLETE- Update later Renal blood flow: Volume of blood flowing through both kidneys per minute. Renal plasma flow: Volume of plasma flowing through the kidneys per minute. The kidney receives the most amount blood in the body, why? renal artery short & straight Vessels branch off at right angles reduce energy loss renal artery-interlobar artery-arcuate…

Menopause

Read from Dr. Chen Yu Sui’s notes! To be updated later. FSH increase 1st Decrease of all other hormones Phases of changes during climacteric (transition) Hypothalamic-pituitary hypersensitivity Increase FSH Premenopausal symptoms Ovulation & corpus luteum failure low progesterone causes DUB, endometrial hyperplasia, CA Ovarian follicular failure low oestrogen menopause Symptoms Hot flushes due to oestrogen…

Maternal adaptation to pregnancy

Read Dr. Chen Yu Sui’s notes. This is just a brief summary of the changes in the body of a pregnant mother. Enlarging uterus elevates the diaphragm displaces heart upwards & to the left Increase blood volume plasma volume increase plasma renin & aldosterone increase but reduced sensitivity to angiotensin (less vasoconstrictive action) Red cell…

Placenta & function

Read from Dr. Chen Yu Sui’s notes Umbilical cord 2 arteries & veins entwined surrounded by mucopolysaccharide substance Wharton’s Jelly Amnion Fused with chorion at end of 2nd month No blood & nerve supply Chorion Inner aspect: in contact with amnion Outer ascpect: in contact with maternal decidua No blood & nerve supply Cotyledon (lobule)…

Reproductive hormones – Applied Aspects

Read from foundation 1 & Dr. Nyunt Wai’s notes! Synthesis of steroid hormones cholesterol progesterone androgens (C19) via aromatase Oestrogens (C19) In male testes secrete testosterone increases LDL, decreases HDL (bad) more susceptible to arterosclerosis protein sysnthesis anabolic steroid: chemical analogue of testosterone breast growth, shrinking of testicles formation of male internal genitalia spermatogenesis feedback…