MBI Videos
Alexander Cao
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Alexander CaoStable heteroclinic channels (SHCs) offer an alternate modeling framework for rhythmic activity in biological motor control systems. They combine the robustness of central pattern generators (limit cycles) with the sensitivity of chain reflex systems. We introduce a two-dimensional noisy, twisted stable heteroclinic oscillator as an abstract model for neuronal motor control circuits. To investigate the interplay between stochastic and deterministic steering, we study the effects that both have on the mean return time of the orbits. Through direct numerical simulations, we show that the mean period has a non-monotonic response to noise intensity. We use a mean first-passage time (MFPT) approach to study this phenomenon more quantitatively. In the limit of small noise, semi-analytic results from the MFPT analysis agree with numerical results.