"This paper describes a mathematical model of the neuronal central pattern generator (CPG) that controls the rhythmic body motion of the swimming leech. The systems approach is employed to capture the neuronal dynamics essential for generating coordinated oscillations of cell membrane potentials by a simple CPG architecture with a minimal number of parameters. ... parameter estimation leads to predictions regarding the synaptic coupling strength and intrinsic period gradient along the nerve cord, the latter of which agrees qualitatively with experimental observations."
Region(s) or Organism(s): Leech
Model Concept(s): Temporal Pattern Generation; Oscillations; Simplified Models
Simulation Environment: MATLAB
References:
Zheng M, Friesen WO, Iwasaki T. (2007). Systems-level modeling of neuronal circuits for leech swimming. Journal of computational neuroscience. 22 [PubMed]