Abstract
It is a common working hypothesis among C.P.G. investigators that C.P.G.’s involve the interaction of oscillators (Grillner, 1981). Except in some simple cases, the physiological details of these oscillators, and the coupling among them and between them and controlling elements, is mostly unknown. In spite of this, mathematics can be a powerful tool for organizing observations about C.P.G.’s and making predictions. The reason is that much of the behavior of systems of coupled oscillators is independent of the details of the oscillators and the coupling, and hence is independent of some of the physiological detail. By analyzing general equations, it may be possible to discover which distinctions do indeed make a difference and have physiological implications. We illustrate these statements by considering the dogfish locomotor C.P.G. More detail, and examples using more elementary mathematics (in the spirit of phase response curves) can be found in Kopell (to appear).
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References
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© 1986 The Wenner-Gren Center
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Kopell, N. (1986). Modelling CPGs: A Robust Approach. In: Grillner, S., Stein, P.S.G., Stuart, D.G., Forssberg, H., Herman, R.M. (eds) Neurobiology of Vertebrate Locomotion. Wenner-Gren Center International Symposium Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-09148-5_25
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-09148-5_25
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
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