Ordered chaotic bursting and multiple coherence resonance by time-periodic coupling strength in Newman–Watts neuronal networks

In this paper, we study the effect of time-periodic coupling strength (TPCS) on the temporal coherence of the chaotic bursting of Newman–Watts thermosensitive neuron networks. It is found that the chaotic bursting can exhibit coherence resonance and multiple coherence resonance behavior when TPCS amplitude and frequency is varied, respectively. It is also found that TPCS can also enhance the temporal coherence and spatial synchronization of the optimal spatio-temporal bursting in the case of fixed coupling strength. These results show that TPCS can tame the chaotic bursting and can repeatedly enhance the temporal coherence of the chaotic bursting neuronal networks. This implies that TPCS may play a more efficient role for improving the time precision of the information processing in chaotic bursting neurons.     

Ordering chaos and synchronization transitions by chemical delay and coupling on scale-free neuronal networks

Chemical synaptic connections are more common than electric ones in neurons, and information transmission delay is especially significant for the synapses of chemical type. In this paper, we report a phenomenon of ordering spatiotemporal chaos and synchronization transitions by the delays and coupling through chemical synapses of modified Hodgkin–Huxley (MHH) neurons on scale-free networks. As the delay τ is increased, the neurons exhibit transitions from bursting synchronization (BS) to intermittent multiple spiking synchronizations (SS). As the coupling g_syn is increased, the neurons exhibit different types of firing transitions, depending on the values of τ. For a smaller τ, there are transitions from spatiotemporal chaotic bursting (SCB) to BS or SS; while for a larger τ, there are transitions from SCB to intermittent multiple SS. These findings show that the delays and coupling through chemical synapses can tame the chaotic firings and repeatedly enhance the firing synchronization of neurons, and hence could play important roles in the firing activity of the neurons on scale-free networks.     

Single or multiple synchronization transitions in scale-free neuronal networks with electrical or chemical coupling

In this paper, we have studied time delay- and coupling strength-induced synchronization transitions in scale-free modified Hodgkin–Huxley (MHH) neuron networks with gap-junctions and chemical synaptic coupling. It is shown that the synchronization transitions are much different for these two coupling types. For gap-junctions, the neurons exhibit a single synchronization transition with time delay and coupling strength, while for chemical synapses, there are multiple synchronization transitions with time delay, and the synchronization transition with coupling strength is dependent on the time delay lengths. For short delays we observe a single synchronization transition, whereas for long delays the neurons exhibit multiple synchronization transitions as the coupling strength is varied. These results show that gap junctions and chemical synapses have different impacts on the pattern formation and synchronization transitions of the scale-free MHH neuronal networks, and chemical synapses, compared to gap junctions, may play a dominant and more active function in the firing activity of the networks. These findings would be helpful for further understanding the roles of gap junctions and chemical synapses in the firing dynamics of neuronal networks.     

Environmentally induced amplitude death and firing provocation in large-scale networks of neuronal systems

We study the dynamics of multielement neuronal systems taking into account both the direct interaction between the cells via linear coupling and nondiffusive cell-to-cell communication via common environment. For the cells exhibiting individual bursting behavior, we have revealed the dependence of the network activity on its scale. Particularly, we show that small-scale networks demonstrate the inability to maintain complicated oscillations: for a small number of elements in an ensemble, the phenomenon of amplitude death is observed. The existence of threshold network scales and mechanisms causing firing in artificial and real multielement neural networks, as well as their significance for biological applications, are discussed.     

Multiple firing coherence resonances in excitatory and inhibitory coupled neurons

The impact of inhibitory and excitatory synapses in delay-coupled Hodgkin–Huxley neurons that are driven by noise is studied. If both synaptic types are used for coupling, appropriately tuned delays in the inhibition feedback induce multiple firing coherence resonances at sufficiently strong coupling strengths, thus giving rise to tongues of coherency in the corresponding delay-strength parameter plane. If only inhibitory synapses are used, however, appropriately tuned delays also give rise to multiresonant responses, yet the successive delays warranting an optimal coherence of excitations obey different relations with regards to the inherent time scales of neuronal dynamics. This leads to denser coherence resonance patterns in the delay-strength parameter plane. The robustness of these findings to the introduction of delay in the excitatory feedback, to noise, and to the number of coupled neurons is examined. Mechanisms underlying our observations are revealed, and it is suggested that the regularity of spiking across neuronal networks can be optimized in an unexpectedly rich variety of ways, depending on the type of coupling and the duration of delays.     

Reciprocal inhibitory coupling: Measure and control of chaos on a biophysically motivated model of bursting

Bursting activity is an interesting feature of the temporal organization in many cell firing patterns. This complex behavior is characterized by clusters of spikes (action potentials) interspersed with phases of quiescence. As shown in experimental recordings, concerning the electrical activity of real neurons, the analysis of bursting models reveals not only patterned periodic activity but also irregular behavior [1], [2]. The interpretation of experimental results, particularly the study of the influence of coupling on chaotic bursting oscillations, is of great interest from physiological and physical perspectives. The inability to predict the behavior of dynamical systems in presence of chaos suggests the application of chaos control methods, when we are more interested in obtaining regular behavior. In the present article, we focus our attention on a specific class of biophysically motivated maps, proposed in the literature to describe the chaotic activity of spiking–bursting cells [Cazelles B, Courbage M, Rabinovich M. Anti-phase regularization of coupled chaotic maps modelling bursting neurons. Europhys Lett 2001;56:504–9]. More precisely, we study a map that reproduces the behavior of a single cell and a map used to examine the role of reciprocal inhibitory coupling, specially on two symmetrically coupled bursting neurons. Firstly, using results of symbolic dynamics, we characterize the topological entropy associated to the maps, which allows us to quantify and to distinguish different chaotic regimes. In particular, we exhibit numerical results about the effect of the coupling strength on the variation of the topological entropy. Finally, we show that complicated behavior arising from the chaotic coupled maps can be controlled, without changing of its original properties, and turned into a desired attracting time periodic motion (a regular cycle). The control is illustrated by an application of a feedback control technique developed by Romeiras et al. [Romeiras FJ, Grebogi C, Ott E, Dayawansa WP. Controlling chaotic dynamical systems. Physica D 1992;58:165–92]. This work provides an illustration of how our understanding of chaotic bursting models can be enhanced by the theory of dynamical systems.     

Bursting synchronization in networks with long-range coupling mediated by a diffusing chemical substance

Many networks of physical and biological interest are characterized by a long-range coupling mediated by a chemical which diffuses through a medium in which oscillators are embedded. We considered a one-dimensional model for this effect for which the diffusion is fast enough so as to be implemented through a coupling whose intensity decays exponentially with the lattice distance. In particular, we analyzed the bursting synchronization of neurons described by two timescales (spiking and bursting activity), and coupled through such a long-range interaction network. One of the advantages of the model is that one can pass from a local (Laplacian) type of coupling to a global (all-to-all) one by varying a single parameter in the interaction term. We characterized bursting synchronization using an order parameter which undergoes a transition as the coupling parameters are changed through a critical value. We also investigated the role of an external time-periodic signal on the bursting synchronization properties of the network. We show potential applications in the control of pathological rhythms in biological neural networks.     

Spatiotemporal dynamics on small-world neuronal networks: The roles of two types of time-delayed coupling

We investigate temporal coherence and spatial synchronization on small-world networks consisting of noisy Terman–Wang (TW) excitable neurons in dependence on two types of time-delayed coupling: {x_j(t − τ) − x_i(t)} and {x_j(t − τ) − x_i(t − τ)}. For the former case, we show that time delay in the coupling can dramatically enhance temporal coherence and spatial synchrony of the noise-induced spike trains. In addition, if the delay time τ is tuned to nearly match the intrinsic spike period of the neuronal network, the system dynamics reaches a most ordered state, which is both periodic in time and nearly synchronized in space, demonstrating an interesting resonance phenomenon with delay. For the latter case, however, we cannot achieve a similar spatiotemporal ordered state, but the neuronal dynamics exhibits interesting synchronization transitions with time delay from zigzag fronts of excitations to dynamic clustering anti-phase synchronization (APS), and further to clustered chimera states which have spatially distributed anti-phase coherence separated by incoherence. Furthermore, we also show how these findings are influenced by the change of the noise intensity and the rewiring probability of the small-world networks. Finally, qualitative analysis is given to illustrate the numerical results.     

The genesis of period-adding bursting without bursting-chaos in the Chay model

According to the period-adding firing patterns without chaos observed in neuronal experiments, the genesis of the period-adding “fold/homoclinic” bursting sequence without bursting-chaos is explored by numerical simulation, fast/slow dynamics and bifurcation analysis of limit cycle in the neuronal Chay model. It is found that each periodic bursting, from period-1 to period-7, is separately generated by the corresponding periodic spiking pattern through two period-doubling bifurcations, except for the period-1 bursting occurring via a Hopf bifurcation. Consequently, it can be revealed that this period-adding bursting bifurcation without chaos has a compound bifurcation structure with transitions from spiking to bursting, which is closely related to period-doubling bifurcations of periodic spiking in essence.     

The genesis of period-adding bursting without bursting-chaos in the Chay model

According to the period-adding firing patterns without chaos observed in neuronal experiments, the genesis of the period-adding “fold/homoclinic” bursting sequence without bursting-chaos is explored by numerical simulation, fast/slow dynamics and bifurcation analysis of limit cycle in the neuronal Chay model. It is found that each periodic bursting, from period-1 to 7, is separately generated by the corresponding periodic spiking pattern through two period-doubling bifurcations, except for the period-1 bursting occurring via a Hopf bifurcation. Consequently, it can be revealed that this period-adding bursting bifurcation without chaos has a compound bifurcation structure with transitions from spiking to bursting, which is closely related to period-doubling bifurcations of periodic spiking in essence.     

Delay-induced synchronization transitions in small-world neuronal networks with hybrid synapses

We study delay-induced synchronization transitions in small-world networks of bursting neurons with hybrid excitatory-inhibitory synapses. Numerical results show that transitions of the spatiotemporal synchrony of neurons can be induced not only by the variations of the information transmission delay but also by changing the probability of inhibitory synapses and the rewiring probability. The delay can either promote or destroy synchronization of neuronal activity in the hybrid small-world neuronal network. In particular, regions of synchronization and nonsynchronization appear intermittently as the delay increases. In addition, for smaller and higher probability of inhibitory synapses, the intermittent synchronization transition is relative profound, while for the moderate probability of inhibitory synapses, synchronization transition seems less profound. More importantly, it is found that a suitable rewired network topology can always enhance the synchronized neuronal activity if only the delay is appropriate.     

Synchronization analysis through coupling mechanism in realistic neural models

Synchronization which relates to the system’s stability is important to many engineering and neural applications. In this paper, an attempt has been made to implement response synchronization using coupling mechanism for a class of nonlinear neural systems. We propose an OPCL (open-plus-closed-loop) coupling method to investigate the synchronization state of driver-response neural systems, and to understand how the behavior of these coupled systems depend on their inner dynamics. We have investigated a general method of coupling for generalized synchronization (GS) in 3D modified spiking and bursting Morris–Lecar (M-L) neural models. We have also presented the synchronized behavior of a network of four bursting Hindmarsh–Rose (H-R) neural oscillators using a bidirectional coupling mechanism. We can extend the coupling scheme to a network of N neural oscillators to reach the desired synchronous state. To make the investigations more promising, we consider another coupling method to a network of H-R oscillators using bidirectional ring type connections and present the effectiveness of the coupling scheme.     

时滞对磁通耦合及化学耦合神经元分岔及同步的影响

以化学突触耦合神经元模型为基础,讨论了抑制性及兴奋性条件下达到同步的区别及同步的类型。并根据磁通耦合对神经元放电的影响,讨论了具有时滞、磁通耦合和化学耦合Morris-Lecar (ML)神经元模型的放电状态、分岔类型及其同步情况。发现具有磁通耦合和化学耦合ML神经元系统在不同参数下会产生丰富的逆倍周期分岔或加周期分岔行为。而时滞的引入,虽然可以增加系统的周期性,但同时也会破环系统同步。相反,适当的耦合强度能够增加同步。     

Optimal autaptic and synaptic delays enhanced synchronization transitions induced by each other in Newman–Watts neuronal networks

In this paper, we numerically study the effect of electrical autaptic and synaptic delays on synchronization transitions induced by each other in Newman–Watts Hodgkin–Huxley neuronal networks. It is found that the synchronization transitions induced by synaptic delay vary with varying autaptic delay and become strongest when autaptic delay is optimal. Similarly, the synchronization transitions induced by autaptic delay vary with varying synaptic delay and become strongest at optimal synaptic delay. Also, there is optimal coupling strength by which the synchronization transitions induced by either synaptic or autaptic delay become strongest. These results show that electrical autaptic and synaptic delays can enhance synchronization transitions induced by each other in the neuronal networks. This implies that electrical autaptic and synaptic delays can cooperate with each other and more efficiently regulate the synchrony state of the neuronal networks. These findings could find potential implications for the information transmission in neural systems.     

Control of synchronization and spiking regularity by heterogenous aperiodic high-frequency signal in coupled excitable systems

This paper investigates the synchronization and spiking regularity induced by heterogenous aperiodic (HA) signal in coupled excitable FitzHugh–Nagumo systems. We found new nontrivial effects of couplings and HA signals on the firing regularity and synchronization in coupled excitable systems without a periodic external driving. The phenomenon is similar to array enhanced coherence resonance (AECR), and it is shown that AECR-type behavior is not limited to systems driven by noises. It implies that the HA signal may be beneficial for the brain function, which is similar to the role of noise. Furthermore, it is also found that the mean frequencies, the amplitudes and the heterogeneity of HA stimuli can serve as control parameters in modulating spiking regularity and synchronization in coupled excitable systems. These results may be significant for the control of the synchronized firing of the brain in neural diseases like epilepsy.     

Bursting synchronization in scale-free networks

Neuronal networks in some areas of the brain cortex present the scale-free property, i.e., the neuron connectivity is distributed according to a power-law, such that neurons are more likely to couple with other already well-connected ones. Neuron activity presents two timescales, a fast one related to action-potential spiking, and a slow timescale in which bursting takes place. Some pathological conditions are related with the synchronization of the bursting activity in a weak sense, meaning the adjustment of the bursting phase due to coupling. Hence it has been proposed that an externally applied time-periodic signal be applied in order to control undesirable synchronized bursting rhythms. We investigated this kind of intervention using a two-dimensional map to describe neurons with spiking–bursting activity in a scale-free network.     

Bursting and synchronization transition in the coupled modified ML neurons

Bursting is an important electrical behavior in neuron’s firing. In this paper, based on the fast/slow dynamical bifurcation analysis and the phase plane analysis, two types of bursting are presented in the modified Morris–Lecar neuronal model, and the associated bifurcation mechanisms of switching between the active phase and the silent phase are analyzed. For two coupled bursters, it is found that the same type of coupled bursters may have different synchronization transition path from that of two different types of coupled bursters. The analysis of bursting types and the transition to synchronization may provide us with better insight into neuronal encoding and information transmission.     

Transitions from bursting to spiking due to depolarizing current in the Chay neuronal model

Distinct transitions of firing activities from bursting to spiking induced by the depolarizing current I are explored near the Hopf bifurcations in the Chay neuronal system. The period-1 “circle/homoclinic” bursting at one rest state makes a transition slowly to repetitive spiking with the parameter I increasing. However, the “Hopf/homoclinic” bursting via a “fold/homoclinic” hysteresis loop at another rest state may transit to continuous spiking abruptly by increasing I.     

Adaptive cluster synchronization in networks with time-varying and distributed coupling delays

This paper studies the adaptive cluster synchronization of a generalized linearly coupled network with time-varying delay and distributed delays. This network includes nonidentical nodes displaying different local dynamical behaviors, while for each cluster of that network the internal dynamics is uniform (such as chaotic, periodic, or stable behavior). In particular, the generalized coupling matrix of this network can be asymmetric and weighted. Two different adaptive laws of time-varying coupling strength and a linear feedback control are designed to achieve the cluster synchronization of this network. Some sufficient conditions to ensure the cluster synchronization are obtained by using the invariant principle of functional differential equations and linear matrix inequality (LMI). Numerical simulations verify the efficiency of our proposed adaptive control method.     

Robust decentralized adaptive synchronization of general complex networks with coupling delayed and uncertainties

The problem of robust decentralized adaptive synchronization of general complex networks with coupling delayed and uncertainties is investigated in this article. It is only assumed that the upper normal bound of uncertain inner and outer coupling matrices is positive but its concrete structure is not also required to be known. The time‐varying coupling delay is a any nonnegative continuous and bounded function and not require its derivative to be less than one, that is, general time‐varying coupling delays and uncertainties. For such a class of uncertain complex networks, a new synchronization scheme is presented by a class of continuous memoryless robust decentralized adaptive synchronization controllers. It is also shown that the synchronization error dynamics of uncertain complex networks can be guaranteed as uniformly exponentially convergent toward a ball that can be as small as desired. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of proposed complex networks synchronization schemes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 19: 10–26, 2014