FRS 002R —
Sec. 001 —
(2 units) — CRN 53513 — W 10:00-12:00pm — 197 Briggs
Drowning on the Mountain: Physiology and Pathophysiology of High
Altitude
Instructor: W. Jeffrey Weidner, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology
& Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences
Description: The extreme conditions of life at high altitude
can place a daunting burden on the body. The increasing popularity of
high mountain
areas for sport and tourism has created a parallel increase in
altitude illness.
In modern society travel has become so rapid and access to the high mountains
so easy that millions of people can and do go much too quickly from
low to dangerous
altitudes. In this seminar we will examine the effects of altitude on the body.
We will first consider the basic physiological changes associated
with short-term
sojourns to high altitude, and compare these with long-term acclimatization to
high altitude. We will then examine the pathophysiology of the most
common illnesses
of high altitude: acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral
edema, and high
altitude pulmonary edema. This seminar is intended to provide an
interesting format
for the student to learn about the influence of extreme conditions on the body,
while at the same time learning about the physiologic systems involved. As it
may attract students already interested in alpine sports and/or mountaineering,
it is intended to acquaint the student with potential problems associated with
high altitude, particularly during periods of increased physical activity. It
is also intended to sharpen the student's writing skills through a
written assignment
(a paper).
Format: This seminar will meet in weekly two-hour
sessions. The
instructor will present information on each topic during the first hour of each
class (utilizing slides, handouts, etc.) in an informal lecture. The
second hour
of each class will be devoted to the discussion of the topic at hand and will
be based upon an assigned paper or article pertinent to the topic.
The last class
meeting will be devoted to individual student presentations based on
their paper
and discussion of each report. Students will be expected to actively
participate
in class discussions based on the assigned readings. Each student
will be expected
to write a short (no more than five pages) paper on a topic of his or
her choice
(with the approval of the instructor) relevant to high altitude
biology. Grading:
25% of the final grade will be based on participation in class discussions, 25%
on the oral presentation, and 50% on the paper.
About the Instructor: Professor Weidner is a member
of the faculty
in the Section of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior of the
Division of Biological
Sciences. His research interests include the physiology and pathophysiology of
lung fluid balance, particularly in birds. His laboratory is currently involved
in an examination of the role of cadherin adhesion proteins in the regulation
pulmonary microvascular permeability in the avian lung. He teaches
undergraduate
courses on systemic physiology and comparative cardiovascular physiology, and
a graduate course on circulatory pathophysiology. He is also coordinator of the
University of Barcelona/UCD collaborative learning project for
physiology.