Internal Resonance Dynamics in a Delayed van der Pol Oscillator Modeling Basal Ganglia Oscillations

Movement disorders, like Parkinson’s disease, happen because of unusual patterns in the connections between the cortex and basal ganglia, often caused by timing issues in feedback pathways. This study uses a two-delay nonlinear dynamic model, based on the delayed the van der Pol oscillator, to examine how delays in the feedback loops of the direct and indirect basal ganglia pathways lead to unusual movement patterns and resonance. A thorough analysis of resonance looks at how the ratios of delays and the time it takes to respond affect the system’s frequency, showing when internal resonance occurs and how frequency stabilizes under different conditions. We examine how stable the system is by looking at changes in its behavior and measuring the Lyapunov exponent across distinct types of nonlinear feedback setups. Simulations demonstrate transitions from stable oscillations to chaos with varying delays and saturation strength. Our results reproduce symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as resting tremor, dyskinesia, and freezing, demonstrating how delayed inhibition or hyperactivity destabilizes motor function. The discussion supports these findings, indicating that early problems start in the striatum, with complex effects in the globus pallidus that worsen motor symptoms. This model explains the temporal evolution of Parkinson’s disease symptoms and highlights the timing of feedback and saturation as key therapeutic targets. Overall, this research offers a biological explanation for motor problems caused by delays and supports novel approaches for brain stimulation using flexible methods.