Weakly Pulse-Coupled Oscillators, FM Interactions, Synchronization, and Oscillatory Associative Memory

IEEE Transactions On Neural Networks (1999), 10:508-526.

Eugene M. Izhikevich

Systems Science Center, Box 7606,
Arizona State University,
Tempe, AZ 85287-7606.

Abstract. We study pulse-coupled neural networks that satisfy only two assumptions: each isolated neuron fires periodically, and the neurons are weakly connected. Each such network can be transformed by a piece-wise continuous change of variables into a phase model, whose synchronization behavior and oscillatory associative properties are easier to analyze and understand. Using the phase model, we can predict whether a given pulse-coupled network has oscillatory associative memory, or what minimal adjustments should be made so that it can acquire memory. In the search for such minimal adjustments we obtain a large class of simple pulse-coupled neural networks that can memorize and reproduce synchronized temporal patterns the same way a Hopfield network does with static patterns. The learning occurs via modification of synaptic weights and/or synaptic transmission delays.

Keywords: integrate-and-fire neurons, Class 1 neural excitability, canonical models, transmission delay, syn-fire chain, multiplexing

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