Disease based PBL

• Provide a definition
• What derangement of physiological function or parameter or anatomical structure results in this?
• Describe the normal anatomy and histology of the structure involved? What are nearby structures?  What is its nerve supply (beginning from the CNS)? What information is provided by this nerve supply. Does it perform an action (motor)? Detect a disturbance (sensory)? Is it an automatic (visceral / autonomic) response or a voluntary (somatic) response?What is the blood supply (beginning from the aorta) and/or blood drainage (ending at the vena cava).
• Describe how the physiological function is being achieved. Describe how the physiological parameter is being controlled?What is the sensor organ, where is the controller, where is the effector organ? Describe the nerve pathways or endocrine signals that allow this to be communicated. Where is the chemical signal produced? What neurotransmitters are involved?
  What other conditions may disturb this physiological parameter, physiological function or anatomical structure?
• What general pathological process can be involved? How quickly do these effects manifest themselves. What are known causes for these conditions? What are the known complications? What other symptoms, signs or abnormal investigations may result?
• How does the treatment correct the physiological or anatomical disturbance?

 In summary:

• Explain the mechanism by which other diseases can produce the cardinal symptom e.g what is a cough, how is it
• generated, what provokes the sensation to cough (anatomy, physiology)
• Explain how the disease disrupts normal anatomy or physiology e.g. how does chest infection affect lung tissue or lung function, by what mechanism does this occur (pathophysiology)
• Explain the mechanism by which the disease produces its symptoms and signs e.g why can a chest infection cause chest pain, what is the nature of the pain? (neuroanatomy, pathophysiology, clinical medicine)
• Explore the different causes and complications of the disease e.g. how does a chest infection affect gas exchange (physiology, pathophysiology, pathology)
• Explain how the treatment addresses the pathophysiology of the disease e.g. how do antibiotics mediate their effects (pharmacology)