title: Dynamics of globally delay-coupled neurons displaying subthreshold oscillations.
abstract: We study an ensemble of neurons that are coupled through their time-delayed collective mean field. The individual neuron is modelled using a Hodgkin-Huxley-type conductance model with parameters chosen such that the uncoupled neuron displays autonomous subthreshold oscillations of the membrane potential. We find that the ensemble generates a rich variety of oscillatory activities that are mainly controlled by two time scales: the natural period of oscillation at the single neuron level and the delay time of the global coupling. When the neuronal oscillations are synchronized, they can be either in-phase or out-of-phase. The phase-shifted activity is interpreted as the result of a phase-flip bifurcation, also occurring in a set of globally delay-coupled limit cycle oscillators. At the bifurcation point, there is a transition from in-phase to out-of-phase (or vice versa) synchronized oscillations, which is accompanied by an abrupt change in the common oscillation frequency. This phase-flip bifurcation was recently investigated in two mutually delay-coupled oscillators and can play a role in the mechanisms by which the neurons switch among different firing patterns.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Física i Enginyeria Nuclear, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain. cristina.masoller@upc.edu
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masoller
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Torrent
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Ojalvo
mesh_terms: D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors