https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2016-02661-4
Regular Article
Multi-chimera states and transitions in the Leaky Integrate-and-Fire model with nonlocal and hierarchical connectivity
1 Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, 15310 Athens, Greece
2 Department of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
3 Crete Center for Quantum Complexity and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
4 Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
5 Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
a e-mail: a.provata@inn.demokritos.gr
Received: 28 March 2016
Revised: 26 July 2016
Published online: 30 September 2016
The effects of nonlocal and fractal connectivity are investigated in a network of Leaky Integrate-and-Fire (LIF) elements. The idea of fractal coupling originates from the hierarchical topology of networks formed by neuronal axons, which transmit the electrical signals in the brain. If a number of LIF elements with finite refractory period are nonlocally coupled, multi-chimera states emerge whose multiplicity depends both on the coupling strength and on the refractory period. We provide evidence that the introduction of a hierarchical topology in the coupling induces novel complex spatial and temporal structures, such as nested chimera states and transitions between multi-chimera states with different multiplicities. These results demonstrate new complex patterns, as well as transitions between different multi-chimera states arising from the combination of nonlinear dynamics with the hierarchical coupling.
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag, 2016
