Neurologically motivated coupling functions in models of motor coordination

Abstract

We present an analysis of two Haken–Kelso–Bunz (HKB) oscillators coupled by a neurologically motivated function. We study the effect of time delay and weighted self-feedback and mutual feedback on the synchronization behavior of the model. We focus on identifying parameter regimes supporting experimentally observed decrease in oscillation amplitude and loss of anti-phase stability that has inspired the development of the HKB model. We show that a combination of cross-talk and nonlinearity in the coupling, along with physiologically relevant time delay, is able to quantitatively account for both drop in oscillation amplitude and loss of anti-phase stability in a frequency dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the transition between discrete and rhythmic movements could be captured by this model. To this end, we carry out theoretical and numerical analysis of the emergence of in-phase and anti-phase oscillations.