Newborn vs Adult

“Newborn versus Adult” is an on-demand course in functional anatomy taught by Frank H. Willard, professor of anatomy at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM). 
The course consists of 12 video lectures counting approximately 12 hours of training to explore the anatomo-functional and physiological differences between the newborn and the adult and the anatomical and physiological relationships between mother and child.

Which organs and systems are already mature at birth? How does their function vary? What anatomical space and location do they occupy? How much do anatomy and function influence the development of organs and systems?



These and other questions will be answered by Professor Willard, who will also explore the primary connections between mother and fetus in order to understand how intimate the relationship between the health of the mother and that of the future infant is.

The course is in English with consecutive translation into Italian.

The course covers the following topics:

The Musculoskeletal System

• The segmentation
• The bone and the osteogenesis
• The epiphyseal plates
• The joint development
• The muscle development
• The spinal development
• The fascia development
• The skull development
• The limbs development

The pharyngeal arches and the development of the swallowing and sucking function:

• The development of the pharyngeal arches
• The cranial nerves associated with the pharyngeal arches
• The pharyngeal arches and pharyngeal pouches
• The anatomy of swallowing
• The differentiation between the digestive and respiratory tracts

The cardio-respiratory system:

• The lungs before and after birth
• The development of the heart and circulatory system
• The main cardiac malformations

The endocrine system:

The development of the pituitary gland in the fetus. Anatomy and function

• The dual origin of the pituitary gland
• The pituitary hormones in foetal life

The development of the thyroid gland in the fetus. Anatomy and function

• The function of thyroid hormone during foetal life
• The hypothyroidism in pregnancy and the neurological outcomes in the foetus

The development of the adrenal glands in the fetus. Anatomy and function

• The fetal adrenal glands and the fetal cortex
• The role of corticosteroids at birth

The effect of prenatal programming on the development of the endocrine glands.

The Nervous System

The development of the cranial fossae and the meningeal support

The first part of the development:

• The formation of the neural tube
• The migration of neural crests and their role in the development of the head, peripheral nervous system, laryngeal-pharyngeal area and heart

The eight developmental stages of neural systems:

• Induction
• Proliferation
• Migration
• Aggregation
• Differentiation
• Remodelling
• Cell death
• Myelination

Comparison between the central nervous system anatomy of the foetus and adult

Myelination in the newborn and young individual

The influence of prenatal life on central nervous system development

Relationships between mother and fetus

• The changes in the mother's musculoskeletal system during pregnancy
• The diaphragm
• The curves of the spine
• The changes in the uterus and its associated organs
• The anatomical and functional changes in the intestine
• The placenta
• The foetal environment

Course type

On-demand course consisting of live-streaming lectures taught by Frank H. Willard and recorded.