Emergence and coherence of oscillations in star networks of stochastic excitable elements

TL;DR

This paper investigates how stochastic oscillations emerge and synchronize in star-shaped networks of excitable elements, revealing that coherence can be optimized by adjusting coupling strength and network size, with analytical insights for strong coupling.

Contribution

It introduces a combined biophysical and generic model to analyze stochastic oscillation coherence in star networks, providing analytical results for strong coupling regimes.

Findings

Coherent oscillations emerge from stochastic synchronization of peripheral nodes.

Optimal coherence is achieved by tuning coupling strength and network size.

Network dynamics in strong coupling can be approximated by a single effective active rotator.

Abstract

We study the emergence and coherence of stochastic oscillations in star networks of excitable elements in which peripheral nodes receive independent random inputs. A biophysical model of a distal branch of sensory neuron in which peripheral nodes of Ranvier are coupled to a central node by myelinated cable segments is used along with a generic model of networked stochastic active rotators. We show that coherent oscillations can emerge due to stochastic synchronization of peripheral nodes and that the degree of coherence can be maximized by tuning the coupling strength and the size of the network. Analytical results are obtained for the strong coupling regime of the active rotator network. In particular, we show that in the strong coupling regime the network dynamics can be described by an effective single active rotator with rescaled parameters and noise.