A chaotic neural unit

A neural unit is proposed based on a simple chaotic system. While this chaotic neural unit retains characteristics of conventional neural units, it also displays a rich range of behavior reminiscent of that observed in neurons. Networks of these neural units are shown to produce chaotic activity which is qualitatively similar to that observed in recordings of the electrical activity of the brain (EEGs). The introduction of chaotic neural units into the self-organizing map improves the ability of the network to cluster input patterns. The introduction of chaos into neural networks may enhance their performance and, at the same time, provide insights into the operation of the brain