Symmetry breaking in two interacting populations of quadratic integrate-and-fire neurons

Phys Rev E. 2017 Oct;96(4-1):042212. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.96.042212. Epub 2017 Oct 18.

Abstract

We analyze the dynamics of two coupled identical populations of quadratic integrate-and-fire neurons, which represent the canonical model for class I neurons near the spiking threshold. The populations are heterogeneous; they include both inherently spiking and excitable neurons. The coupling within and between the populations is global via synapses that take into account the finite width of synaptic pulses. Using a recently developed reduction method based on the Lorentzian ansatz, we derive a closed system of equations for the neuron's firing rates and the mean membrane potentials in both populations. The reduced equations are exact in the infinite-size limit. The bifurcation analysis of the equations reveals a rich variety of nonsymmetric patterns, including a splay state, antiphase periodic oscillations, chimera-like states, and chaotic oscillations as well as bistabilities between various states. The validity of the reduced equations is confirmed by direct numerical simulations of the finite-size networks.

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Models, Neurological*
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Periodicity
  • Synapses / physiology*
  • Thermodynamics