Neural Field Theory — Wilson-Cowan Waves

Excitatory-inhibitory dynamics on a 2D cortical sheet — click to stimulate

The Wilson-Cowan equations describe interacting excitatory (E) and inhibitory (I) neural populations. τ_E dE/dt = −E + S(w_EE·E − w_EI·I + I_ext), τ_I dI/dt = −I + S(w_IE·E − w_II·I). Spatial coupling via diffusion produces traveling waves, stationary bumps ("working memory"), and spiral waves. Click anywhere on the canvas to inject a local excitatory stimulus.