Implications of heterogeneous inputs and connectivity on the synchronization in excitable networks

We study the combined implications of connectivity and heterogeneous inputs on the synchronization features of a one-dimensional chain of diffusively coupled FitzHugh Nagumo (FHN) systems. The uncoupled systems are triggered into a regime of chaotic firing by periodic parametric forces modeling external stimuli. Due to the parameter dispersion involved in randomly distributed amplitudes and/or phases of the forces the units are nonidentical and the firing events on the chain of uncoupled units will be asynchronous leading to a distribution of the spiking times. Interest is focused on mutually synchronized spikings arising through the coupling where the connectivity of the network may range from nearest-neighbor interaction to global interactions. From our studies we conclude that increasing the interaction radius does not necessarily entail better spike synchrony and the coupling strength plays a more important role than connectivity. It is found that for driving with random amplitudes together with random phases a critical interaction radius exists beyond which firing becomes suppressed if the coupling between the units is too strong. In such cases of ‘firing death’ the units perform only small-amplitude oscillations which are mutually synchronous. The optimal coupling for spike synchrony is of intermediate strength and altering the connectivity does not really matter for the degree of spike synchrony. Distinct to that, when all the phases are equal and only the amplitudes of the forces are randomly distributed enhanced spike synchrony is achieved for sufficiently strong coupling regardless of the interaction radius.