Characterization of interval variability in the sequential activity of a central pattern generator model

Abstract

Central pattern generators (CPG) are neural circuits that generate robust sequences of coordinated neural activity to control motor rhythms. We have recently revealed the presence of dynamical invariants in the relationships between specific intervals that build the CPG sequence and the instantaneous period of the rhythm in the pyloric CPG of crustacean. In this paper, we analyze the variability of the intervals comprising the rhythm in a model of a mollusk feeding CPG. We measured the cycle-by-cycle time intervals of the CPG rhythm under distinct single neuron stimulation. We characterized interval variability and report dynamical invariants found only for specific time intervals building the sequence of the feeding CPG. Together with our previous findings, the results reported in this paper indicate that dynamical invariants can be a universal feature of any sequence generating circuit.