Spontaneous Formation of Synchronization Clusters in Homogenous Neuronal Ensembles Induced by Noise and Interaction Delays

Abstract

The spontaneous formation of clusters of synchronized spiking in a structureless ensemble of equal stochastically perturbed excitable neurons with delayed coupling is demonstrated for the first time. The effect is a consequence of a subtle interplay between interaction delays, noise, and the excitable character of a single neuron. The dependence of the cluster properties on the time lag, noise intensity, and the synaptic strength is investigated.