Making a swim central pattern generator out of latent parabolic bursters

TL;DR

This paper investigates how rhythmic oscillatory patterns, essential for swim locomotion in sea slugs, can be generated from inhibitory neural network motifs modeled by the Plant model of R15 nerve cells.

Contribution

It demonstrates how inhibitory coupled tonic spiking neurons can produce central pattern generators for swim locomotion.

Findings

Oscillatory patterns emerge from inhibitory network motifs.

The Plant model effectively captures the neural dynamics involved.

Network motifs can serve as fundamental units for locomotion control.

Abstract

We study the rhythmogenesis of oscillatory patterns emerging in network motifs composed of inhibitory coupled tonic spiking neurons represented by the Plant model of R15 nerve cells. Such motifs are argued to be used as building blocks for a larger central pattern generator network controlling swim locomotion of sea slug Melibe leonina.