Computational Model of a Central Pattern Generator

The buccal ganglia of Aplysia contain a central pattern generator (CPG) that mediates rhythmic movements of the foregut during feeding. This CPG is a multifunctional circuit and generates at least two types of buccal mo- tor patterns (BMPs), one that mediates ingestion (iBMP) and another that medi- ates rejection (rBMP). The present study used a computational approach to ex- amine the ways in which an ensemble of identified cells and synaptic connections function as a CPG. Hodgkin-Huxley-type models were developed that mimicked the biophysical properties of these cells and synaptic connec- tions. The results suggest that the currently identified ensemble of cells is in- adequate to produce rhythmic neural activity and that several key elements of the CPG remain to be identified.