Synchronization between neural circuits connected by hybrid synapse

Abstract

Reliable neural circuits provide feasible ways to estimate the information encoding and signal exchange between neurons so that more physical effects can be considered and explained. Electrical synapse benefits signal propagation and neurons can give rapid response selection under an external stimulus. Chemical synapse plays a standing biological function by the continuous release of neurotransmitter. Gap junction coupling can estimate the effect of electrical synapse coupling as resistor-based voltage coupling while chemical synapse coupling shows a complex form in synapse currents. In this paper, two FitzHugh–Nagumo neuron circuits are connected by resistor and induction coil, and thus field coupling is activated to realize synchronization. It gives possible guidance to explain the synapse function from physical view. These circuit equations are obtained and scale transformation is applied to get the dimensionless dynamical systems. Furthermore, the same scheme is used to discuss synchronization realization between Hindmarsh–Rose neuron models. It is found that synchronization can be suppressed when the coupling resistor is in series with the induction coil in which only one coupling channel is open. However, complete synchronization can be enhanced when the coupling resistor is paralleled with the induction coil because two coupling channels are activated simultaneously. As a result, appropriate adjustment and selection for the coupling electric devices can induce transition from synchronization to desynchronization between neural circuits, which indicates the self-adaption of synapse when two types of synapse are activated together.