Interface dynamics in planar neural field models

Coombes, Stephen, Schmidt, Helmut and Bojak, Ingo (2012) Interface dynamics in planar neural field models. Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience . ISSN 2190-8567 (In Press)

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Abstract

Neural field models describe the coarse-grained activity of populations of interacting neurons. Because of the laminar structure of real cortical tissue they are often studied in two spatial dimensions, where they are well known to generate rich patterns of spatiotemporal activity. Such patterns have been interpreted in a variety of contexts ranging from the understanding of visual hallucinations to the generation of electroencephalographic signals. Typical patterns include localized solutions in the form of traveling spots, as well as intricate labyrinthine structures. These patterns are naturally defined by the interface between low and high states of neural activity. Here we derive the equations of motion for such interfaces and show, for a Heaviside firing rate, that the normal velocity of an interface is given in terms of a non-local Biot-Savart type interaction over the boundaries of the high activity regions. This exact, but dimensionally reduced, system of equations is solved numerically and shown to be in excellent agreement with the full nonlinear integral equation defining the neural field. We develop a linear stability analysis for the interface dynamics that allows us to understand the mechanisms of pattern formation that arise from instabilities of spots, rings, stripes and fronts. We further show how to analyze neural field models with linear adaptation currents, and determine the conditions for the dynamic instability of spots that can give rise to breathers and traveling waves.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1008548
Keywords: neural field interface dynamics
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Science > School of Mathematical Sciences
Depositing User: Coombes, Prof Stephen
Date Deposited: 13 Feb 2012 14:24
Last Modified: 04 May 2020 20:22
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/1581

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