From quasiperiodic partial synchronization to collective chaos in populations of inhibitory neurons with delay

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how collective chaos arises from quasiperiodic partial synchronization in inhibitory neuron populations with delay, using an exact macroscopic model and numerical simulations, revealing insights into neuronal dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces an exact macroscopic model capturing the transition from quasiperiodic synchronization to chaos in delayed inhibitory neural networks.

Findings

Collective chaos emerges via period-doubling cascade.

The chaotic state persists with weak heterogeneities.

The model relates dynamics to fast neuronal oscillations.

Abstract

Collective chaos is shown to emerge, via a period-doubling cascade, from quasiperiodic partial synchronization in a population of identical inhibitory neurons with delayed global coupling. This system is thoroughly investigated by means of an exact model of the macroscopic dynamics, valid in the thermodynamic limit. The collective chaotic state is reproduced numerically with a finite population, and persists in the presence of weak heterogeneities. Finally, the relationship of the model's dynamics with fast neuronal oscillations is discussed.