EPJ ST Special Issue: Functional Neurons and Networks

Details

Published on 04 March 2025

Guest Editors: Jun Ma, Dibakar Ghosh, Ergin Yilmaz

Scientific background and significance:

Generic neuron models provide easy way for exploring the dynamic characteristic in neural activities, distinct mode transition, nonlinear resonance and self-organization can be detected and explained from theoretical aspect. Indeed, physical description about energy characteristic, functional enhancement, self-adaptive property, reliability of equivalent circuit approach, heterogeneity and defects in neural networks, and digital neurons array are open for further investigation. Considering the biophysical functional characteristic of biological neurons, visual neuron, auditory neuron, olfactory neuron, thermosensitive neuron and memristive neurons are effective to effective to discover the driving-response processing. During model proposal and setting, specific terms are often introduced into the generic neuron models for expressing specific functional processing. The specific electronic components including memristor, thermistor, phototube, gas sensor, Josephson junction, piezoelectric ceramic can be incorporated into the simple nonlinear circuits, and then external physical, chemical, mechanical and electromagnetic signals can be perceived and detected.

One important aspect is its exact energy definition from physical aspect, and the field energy in the neural circuit can be further verified by using Helmholtz theorem. Indeed, the mode selection and firing patterns are dependent on the energy levels of the neurons, and available energy function provides feasible proposal of adaptive control law in the intrinsic parameters. As a result, self-adaptive property and synapse controllability can be explained and implemented in experiments. Based on these functional neurons, a variety of neural networks can be created and controlled by the energy flow, heterogeneity and defects are induced to control the collective behaviors of neurons. Furthermore, involvement of astrocyte can build a functional neural network for exploring the role of calcium flow and its potential relation to some neural disease. The neuron models are often expressed as nonlinear oscillator; however, map neurons are more effective to process electric signals in digital neural circuits and arrays. Therefore, it is a challenge to find and confirm reliable map and discrete neuron models.

The main topic about this special issue appreciates the following studies:

• Model proposal of functional neuron models, map neuron and oscillator-like neuron
• Complex variable neuron model
• Neural circuits implement and function enhancement
• Hybrid neuron model
• Nonlinear resonance in functional neurons and energy estimation
• Interaction and cooperation between functional neurons (visual, auditory and olfactory neurons)
• Adaptive controllability and synaptic plasticity in biophysical neurons
• Energy balance and synchronization between neurons
• Control pattern formation and stability in networks composed of functional neurons
• Heterogeneity and defects dynamics in functional neural networks
• Neural circuit controls electromechanical arm/leg
• Functional neuron for image encryption

Researchers in the field of neurodynamics, nonlinear circuit, network dynamics, and relative fields to computational neuroscience are welcome to submit their interesting works to this special issue, which can be accepted for publication in The European Physical Journal Special Topics after peer review. Submissions can be in the form of minireview within 10 to 15 pages, Tutorial Review beyond 15 pages, original papers with 5 to 10 pages.

Articles should be submitted to the Editorial Office of EPJ ST via the submission system, and should be clearly identified as intended for the topical issue “Functional Neurons and Networks”.

More detailed author information including paper types can be found in the Submission Guidelines. For the preparation of the manuscripts a special latex template (preferably single-column layout) is available here.

Guest Editors:

Jun Ma, Lanzhou University of Technology University, Lanzhou, China, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dibakar Ghosh, Physics and Applied Mathematics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata 700108, India, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ergin Yilmaz, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Bülent Ecevit University, 67100, Zonguldak, Turkey, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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