Objectives and Contextualisation

This course is taught during the first semester of the second year, after having studied in the first year, the subjects  "Anatomy and physiology of the voice and speech organs (101701)" and "Anatomy and physiology of the nervous system (101700)" that cover the different relevant systems in a situation of normality.

The subject "Biological changes during the life cycle: implications for speech therapy" aims for students to acquire basic learning of the processes and mechanisms of development, growth and human body changes along the life cycle (from the embryonic period to old age). Particular emphasis is placed on those systems which are  relevant for speech therapists, such as the nervous system and organs related to speech, voice, hearing and swallowing.

 The course is divided into two modules: the first refers to the prenatal period and the second to the postnatal period.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Module 1: Prenatal period

• Describe the development of male and female gametes, and explain the process of fertilization
• Describe the genetic control of development. Enumerate the phases of human prenatal development.
• Describe the most significant changes in each of the stages of human prenatal development. Classify specimens according to fetal and embryonic stages of development.
• Identify the germ layers and relate them to their derivatives
• Describe the most significant features of development and fetal behavior
• Explain in chronological order the development of the nervous system
• Explain the changes that lead to the structuring of the neural tube and the characteristics of the brain vesicles and the spinal cord
• Describe the embryonic origin of the ear and itsmain malformations
• Explain the processes that lead to the formation of the face from the different primordia that constitute the face.
• Explain the mechanisms of development that lead to the formation of the anatomical elements that constitute the phonatory apparatus (mouth, lips, soft and hard palate, nostrils, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchii and lungs)
• Relate birth defects (affecting the main processes and structures studied during the course) with the alteration of the causal developmental mechanisms.
• Describe the development of the pharyngeal apparatus and its derivates
• Apply knowledge to the interpretation of symptoms and signs of common congenital and developmental abnormalities

Module 2: Postnatal period

• Describe the physiological condition according to the degree of maturity of the different systems of the human body, in particular the nervous system and the organs involved in voice and speech, at the different stages of the life cycle.
• Understand the different forms of intercellular communication that allow growth and maturation of the organism.
• Understand the role of the endocrine system, identify and describe the mechanism of action of the different hormones that are involved in postnatal growth and maturation of the body.
• Describe the events that mark the neural development after birth, such as synaptic plasticity, synaptogenesis, and myelination.
• Describe the sensori-motor changes occurring during postnatal development and ageing.
• Describe the variations in brain development and higher functions throughout postnatal development, adolescence and aging.
• Describe the factors that govern body maturation during infancy and adolescence periods
• Identify the normal evolution of the voice, and the differences by sex and age.
• Analyze and categorize the functional changes that occur during growth and aging in the organs of voice and speech.
• Assess and determine the factors involved in the postnatal growth of the larynx and the speech organs and the resulting functional changes.

Justification:

This subject provides the student of speech therapy with the basic knowledge about the biological changes that occur throughout the life in the organs and systems of the body. Knowing the stages of normal development will serve to define the baseline framework to assess the person’ situation and progress, establish a rigorous differential diagnosis, and plan the most optimal treatment.

The function of the organs related to speech, voice, hearing and swallowing is heavily influenced by the history of the person, i.e. the genetic and environmental factors that shape their anatomy, the development of the necessary connections with the nervous system, and the learning and training of the function during the life. In many occasions, abnormal development of embryo, altered growth of the child or biological changes at later ages may lead to important problemsrequiring logopedic interventions. Therefore, by knowing how the individual has been transformed during the different periods of life, we can correctly identify the biological situation of these structures and determine the goal and efficacy of the therapy.

For this purpose, the course is dedicated to offer the student of speech therapy the tools to understand the evolution of a subject from conception to death so the student will be able to recognize normality and identify more accurately pathological situations. The course is divided in two modules: prenatal and postnatal, which deal with the molecular, cellular and physiological mechanisms occurring before and after birth, respectively. Fundamental concepts oncell biology and genetics will be reviewed at the beginning of the course for better understanding of embryonic and fetal development mechanisms.