A metaphor for standing waves in the neocortex

Neocortical dynamics evidently involves very complex, nonlinear processes including top-down and bottom-up interactions across spatial scales. These include nonlinear circuit effects at the macrocolumn scale and linear or quasilinear long range neural interactions along corticocortical fibres. The dynamics may also be strongly influenced by global (periodic) boundary conditions. Since any particular theory of neocortical dynamics is bound to be controversial, examine a relatively simple physical system consisting of a linear string with many attached nonlinear springs which exhibits transitions from periodic to chaotic behaviour as mesoscopic nonlinear influences dominate macroscopic linear effects. Apparent analogies to neocortical dynamics at multiple scales are considered.