Spatiotemporal dynamics in a network composed of neurons with different excitabilities and excitatory coupling

Abstract

Spiral waves have been observed in the biological experiments on rat cortex perfused with drugs which can block inhibitory synapse and switch neuron excitability from type II to type I. To simulate the spiral waves observed in the experiment, the spatiotemporal patterns are investigated in a network composed of neurons with type I and II excitabilities and excitatory coupling. Spiral waves emerge when the percentage (p) of neurons with type I excitability in the network is at middle levels, which is dependent on the coupling strength. Compared with other spatial patterns which appear at different p values, spiral waves exhibit optimal spatial correlation at a certain spatial frequency, implying the occurrence of spatial coherence resonance-like phenomenon. Some dynamical characteristics of the network such as mean firing frequency and synchronous degree can be well interpreted with distinct properties between type I excitability and type II excitability. The results not only identify dynamics of spiral waves in neuronal networks composed of neurons with different excitabilities, but also are helpful to understanding the emergence of spiral waves observed in the biological experiment.