Role of refractory period in homoclinic models of neural synchronization

Year: 2007

Authors: Montina A., Mendoza C., Arecchi F.T.

Autors Affiliation: Dip. di Fisica, Università di Firenze, Via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy;
Institute of Physics, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso, Chile;
CNR – Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Largo E. Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy

Abstract: We study the properties of a homoclinic model of neuron by introducing a suitable one-dimensional map. We show that the system is characterized by a response time to external signals which is a decreasing function of the signal strength, in contrast to excitable models whose response time is signal-independent. In a one-dimensional array of these systems with bidirectional coupling, we observe a sudden transition to a synchronized state at a certain value of the coupling strength. The transition occurs when the response time of a site to the signals of the adjacent sites is of the order of refractory time. Near the transition, we find an intermittent behavior due to the competition between a turbulent and a synchronized state. The observed behavior distinguishes homoclinic systems from excitable systems.

Journal/Review: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NEURAL SYSTEMS

Volume: 17 ( 2)      Pages from: 79  to: 86

KeyWords: dynamical system
DOI: 10.1142/S0129065707000956

Citations: 12
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