For EDITORS

For READERS

All Issues

Vol.15, 2025
Vol.14, 2024
Vol.10, 2020
Vol.9, 2019
Vol.8, 2018
Vol.7, 2017
Vol.6, 2016
Vol.5, 2015
Vol.4, 2014
Vol.3, 2013
Vol.2, 2012
Vol.1, 2011
Volume 4, Number 1, 2014, Pages 1-68                                                                DOI:10.11948/2014001
Traveling Wave Solutions of Nonlinear Scalar Integral Differential Equations Arising from Synaptically Coupled Neuronal Networks
Linghai Zhang,Axel Hutt
Keywords:synaptically coupled neuronal networks
Abstract:
      Consider the following nonlinear scalar integral differential equations arising from synaptically coupled neuronal networks. These model equations generalize many important nonlinear scalar integral differential equations aris ing from synaptically coupled neuronal networks. The kernel functions K and W represent synaptic couplings between neurons in synaptically coupled neuronal networks. The synaptic couplings can be very general, including not only pure excitations (modeled with nonnegative kernel functions), lateral inhibitions (modeled with Mexican hat kernel functions), lateral excitations (modeled with upside down Mexican hat kernel functions), but also synaptic couplings which may change sign for finitely many times or even infinitely many times. The function H = H(u − ) represents the Heaviside step function, which is defined by H(u − ) = 0 for all u < , H(0) = 1 2 and H(u − ) = 1 for all u > . The functions and represent probability density functions defined on (0,1). The parameter c > 0 represents the speed of an action potential and the parameter > 0 represents a constant delay. In these equations, u = u(x, t) stands for the membrane potential of a neuron at position x and time t. The positive constants > 0 and > 0 represent synaptic rates. The positive constants > 0 and > 0 represent thresholds for excitation of neurons. The function f = f(u) represents the sodium currents in neuronal networks. The positive constant w 0 > 0 is to be given. The authors will establish the existence and stability of traveling wave solutions of these nonlinear scalar integral differential equations by coupling together speed index functions, stability index func tions (often called Evans functions, that is, complex analytic functions), implicit function theorem, intermediate value theorem, mean value theorem, global strong maximum principle for Evans func tions, linearized stability criterion and many other important techniques in dynamical systems. They will find sufficient conditions satisfied by the synaptic couplings, by the probability density functions, by the synaptic rate constants and by the thresholds so that the traveling wave solutions and their wave speeds exist, and the stability of the traveling wave solutions is true. The main results obtained in this paper greatly improve many previous results.
PDF      Download reader