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Modeling neural activity underlying phase constancy in the crayfish swimmeret system
Mathematical Biology| Speaker: | Tamara Schlichter, UC Davis |
| Location: | 2112 MSB |
| Start time: | Mon, Sep 27 2010, 3:10PM |
Description
In the Crayfish swimmeret system, each segment contains a
half-center oscillator responsible for controlling the power stroke and
return stroke motoneurons. The half-center oscillator is made up of two
strongly connected neurons, each with their own phase response properties.
Each segment is capable of oscillations independent of other segments,
however all segments are connected to each other by weak intersegmental
coupling. Because of this, we may use the theory of weakly coupled
oscillators in an effort to deduce how phase maintenance is achieved in the
cord over varying frequencies. First, we need the phase response properties
of the individual segments. We analyze the half-center oscillator in one
module, and through an idealized phase model derive the infinitesimal phase
response curve (iPRC) of the half-center oscillator (HCO) from the iPRC of
the individual cells. The phase locking properties of a chain of HCO are
studied for various parameters. The work is then compared to experimental
data from the Crayfish swimmeret system.