Small-World Connections to Induce Firing Activity and Phase Synchronization in Neural Networks

We investigate how the firing activity and the subsequent phase synchronization of neural networks with small-world topological connections depend on the probability p of adding-links. Network elements are described by two-dimensional map neurons (2DMNs) in a quiescent original state. Neurons burst for a given coupling strength when the topological randomness p increases, which is absent in a regular-lattice neural network. The bursting activity becomes frequent and synchronization of neurons emerges as topological randomness further increases. The maximal firing frequency and phase synchronization appear at a particular value of p. However, if the randomness p further increases, the firing frequency decreases and synchronization is apparently destroyed.