Spike width and frequency alter stability of phase-locking in electrically coupled neurons

Biol Cybern. 2013 Jun;107(3):367-83. doi: 10.1007/s00422-013-0556-4. Epub 2013 Apr 17.

Abstract

The stability of phase-locked states of electrically coupled type-1 phase response curve neurons is studied using piecewise linear formulations for their voltage profile and phase response curves. We find that at low frequency and/or small spike width, synchrony is stable, and antisynchrony unstable. At high frequency and/or large spike width, these phase-locked states switch their stability. Increasing the ratio of spike width to spike height causes the antisynchronous state to transition into a stable synchronous state. We compute the interaction function and the boundaries of stability of both these phase-locked states, and present analytical expressions for them. We also study the effect of phase response curve skewness on the boundaries of synchrony and antisynchrony.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Electrical Synapses / physiology*
  • Models, Neurological*
  • Nerve Net / physiology
  • Neurons / physiology*