Minimax and Hamiltonian Dynamics of Excitatory-Inhibitory Networks

A Lyapunov function for excitatory-inhibitory networks is constructed. The construction assumes symmetric interactions within excitatory and inhibitory populations of neurons, and antisymmetric interactions between populations. The Lyapunov function yields sufficient conditions for the global asymptotic stability of fixed points. If these conditions are violated, limit cycles may be stable. The relations of the Lyapunov function to optimization theory and classical mechanics are revealed by minimax and dissipative Hamiltonian forms of the network dynamics.