Change of the attractor structure for \(\dot x(t) = f(x(t-1)) \) when \(f\) changes from monotone to non-monotone negative feedback (Q2269628)

From the abstract: It is known that for bounded \(f\) with monotone negative feedback, the scalar delay equation \[ \dot x(t)=f(x(t-1)) \] has an attractor \(A\) (within the slowly oscillating solution class) that is a two-dimensional graph. A slowly oscillating periodic orbit divides the surface \(A\) into an interior part containing zero and an exterior part. We describe deformations of \(f\) to functions with non-monotone negative feedback which preserve the interior part, but make orbits from the exterior part converge to zero as \(t\to \infty\). Thus, the graph structure of \(A\) is lost in such deformations of \(f\).