Effects of Time Delay on Burst Synchronization Transition of Neuronal Networks

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on investigating the effects of time delay on burst synchronization transitions of a neuronal network which is locally modeled by Hindmarsh–Rose neurons. Here, neurons inside the neuronal network are connected through electrical synapses or chemical synapses. With the numerical results, it is revealed that burst synchronization transitions of both electrically and chemically coupled neuronal networks could be induced by time delay just when the coupling strength is large enough. Meanwhile, it is found that, in electrically and excitatory chemically coupled neuronal networks, burst synchronization transitions are observed through change of spiking number per burst when coupling strength is large enough; while in inhibitory chemically coupled neuronal network, burst synchronization transitions are observed for large enough coupling strength through changing fold-Hopf bursting activity to fold-homoclinic bursting activity and vice versa. Namely, two types of burst synchronization transitions are observed. One type of burst synchronization transitions occurs through change of spiking numbers per burst and the other type of burst synchronization transition occurs through change of bursting types.