title: The role of Hopf bifurcation dynamics in sensory processes.
abstract: We emphasize here the role of the Hopf bifurcation in detection of stimuli in sensory processes--we discuss in particular chemosensors. It is shown that the essential nonlinearities inherent in the signal transduction mechanism can take advantage of the noise from the environment the system is subject to, to display a highly amplified response to stimuli in a frequency-selective manner. It is shown that in the absence of any externally applied stimulus, the feedback mechanisms playing a regulatory role in the transduction mechanism can give rise, in the presence of noise, to peaks in the spectral power density, suggesting enhanced spontaneous activity in sensory cells. The power law in this spectrum is determined.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Central University P.O., Gachi Bowli, Hyderabad 500 046, India. jbsp@uohyd.ernet.in
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ashok
mesh_terms: D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*