Effects of autapse and channel blockage on firing regularity in a biological neuronal network

Abstract

In this paper; the effects of autapse (a kind of synapse formed between the axon of the soma of a neuron and its own dendrites) and ion channel blocking on the firing regularity of a biological small-world neuronal network, consists of stochastic Hodgkin-Huxley neurons, are studied. In this study, it is assumed that all of the neurons on the network have a chemical autapse and constant membrane area. Obtained results indicate that there are different effects of channel blockage and parameters of the autapse on the regularity of the network. It is found that the firing regularity of the network is decreased with the sodium channel blockage while increased with potassium channel blockage. Besides, it is determined that regularity of the network augments with the conductance of the autapse.