Asynchronous response of coupled pacemaker neurons

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Feb 13;102(6):068102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.068102. Epub 2009 Feb 10.

Abstract

We study a network model of two conductance-based pacemaker neurons of differing natural frequency, coupled with either mutual excitation or inhibition, and receiving shared random inhibitory synaptic input. The networks may phase lock spike to spike for strong mutual coupling. But the shared input can desynchronize the locked spike pairs by selectively eliminating the lagging spike or modulating its timing with respect to the leading spike depending on their separation time window. Such loss of synchrony is also found in a large network of sparsely coupled heterogeneous spiking neurons receiving shared input.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Biological Clocks / physiology*
  • Models, Neurological*
  • Nerve Net / physiology
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Poisson Distribution