Excitation of spatiotemporal structures in elastic electroactive contractile fibers

Abstract

The spatiotemporal structures induced by a weak localized stimulus in excitable contractile fibers are studied by using a two-component reaction–diffusion model with global coupling. The character of the induced structures is analyzed, and the regimes of excitation spreading over the fiber are determined depending on the global coupling strength and the contraction type (associated with the mechanical fiber fixation conditions). It is shown that the global coupling can lead to long-lasting transient dynamics and new oscillatory attractor modes.