Bifurcations of emergent bursting in a neuronal network

Abstract

Complex neuronal networks are an important tool to help explain paradoxical phenomena observed in biological recordings. Here we present a general approach to mathematically tackle a complex neuronal network so that we can fully understand the underlying mechanisms. Using a previously developed network model of the milk-ejection reflex in oxytocin cells, we show how we can reduce a complex model with many variables and complex network topologies to a tractable model with two variables, while retaining all key qualitative features of the original model. The approach enables us to uncover how emergent synchronous bursting can arise from a neuronal network which embodies known biological features. Surprisingly, the bursting mechanisms are similar to those found in other systems reported in the literature, and illustrate a generic way to exhibit emergent and multiple time scale oscillations at the membrane potential level and the firing rate level. © 2012 Wu et al.