Global and local synchrony of coupled neurons in small-world networks

TL;DR

This paper investigates how network topology influences neuronal synchrony, demonstrating that small-world structures enhance distant neuron coordination through combined local clustering and global connections.

Contribution

It reveals the impact of network structure, especially small-world properties, on neuronal synchronization, bridging local and global dynamics in neural networks.

Findings

Dispersion of connections affects dynamics.

Rewiring probability links local and global synchrony.

Small-world networks reinforce distant neuronal group synchrony.

Abstract

Synchronous firing of neurons is thought to play important functional roles such as feature binding and switching of cognitive states. Although synchronization has mainly been investigated using model neurons with simple connection topology so far, real neural networks have more complex structures. Here we examine behavior of pulse-coupled leaky integrate-and-fire neurons with various network structures. We first show that the dispersion of the number of connections for neurons influences dynamical behavior even if other major topological statistics are kept fixed. The rewiring probability parameter representing the randomness of networks bridges two spatially opposite frameworks: precise local synchrony and rough global synchrony. Finally, cooperation of the global connections and the local clustering property, which is prominent in small-world networks, reinforces synchrony of distant neuronal groups receiving coherent inputs.