Control of synchronization patterns in neural-like Boolean networks

TL;DR

This paper experimentally investigates how adjusting refractory times in neural-like Boolean networks influences synchronization patterns, revealing local control mechanisms and implications for biological neural networks.

Contribution

It demonstrates that local modifications of nodes with higher in-degree can control global synchronization patterns in time-delayed Boolean networks.

Findings

Synchronization patterns change with refractory time adjustments.

Heterogeneities in link delays can suppress synchronization.

Local control of nodes influences global network dynamics.

Abstract

We study experimentally the synchronization patterns in time-delayed directed Boolean networks of excitable systems. We observe a transition in the network dynamics when the refractory time of the individual systems is adjusted. When the refractory time is on the same order-of-magnitude as the mean link time delays or the heterogeneities of the link time delays, cluster synchronization patterns change, or are suppressed entirely, respectively. We also show that these transitions occur when we only change the properties of a small number of nodes identified by their larger in-degree, hence the synchronization patterns can be controlled locally by these nodes. Our findings have implications for synchronization in biological neural networks.