Nonlinear dynamic properties of a somatomotor reflex system. A model study.

Abstract

AbstractThe time course of polysynaptic reflex responses is known to exhibit two prominent non‐linearities, one dependent on the amplitude of the stimulus and the other dependent on the direction of change of the stimulus. Both nonlinearities were demonstrated in the open‐loop responses of the acoustic middle ear reflex and simulated in a piecewise linear model. Their significance for stability of the closed‐loop feed‐back system was investigated. In this model the source of nonlinearity was a pool of “reflex units” with various thresholds and time constants. The mode! responses were studied in the time domain and the frequency domain. The amplitude dependent nonlinearity could be simulated when low threshold reflex units were made slow and tonic and high threshold units fast and tonic or when some of the high threshold units were phasic. A decrease in transport delay at increased input step amplitude was seen under these conditions but also when all units mere made equal. Both types of nonlinearities were found to improve the stability of the model system without decreasing its bandwidth (a measure of the speed of action). The nonlinearities were suggested to be important in systems with high values of transport delay.