Mutual Inhibition is a circuit motif where two (or more) neural populations inhibit each other. When one is active, it suppresses the other; when it fatigues or is inhibited, the other becomes active. This creates rhythmic alternation — the basis of Central Pattern Generators (CPGs) for locomotion.
Key Applications
- •Locomotion — left/right leg alternation in walking
- •Breathing — inspiratory vs. expiratory neuron pools
- •Sleep-wake — flip-flop switch between wake and sleep centers
In ONDA Life
The CPG article explains how mutual inhibition underlies autonomous rhythmic movement.