Coherence Resonance Induced Stochastic Neural Firing At A Saddle-Node Bifurcation

Coherence resonance at a saddle-node bifurcation point and the corresponding stochastic firing patterns are simulated in a theoretical neuronal model. The characteristics of noise-induced neural firing pattern, such as exponential decay in histogram of interspike interval (ISI) series, independence and stochasticity within ISI series are identified. Firing pattern similar to the simulated results was discovered in biological experiment on a neural pacemaker. The difference between this firing and integer multiple firing generated at a Hopf bifurcation point is also given. The results not only revealed the stochastic dynamics near a saddle-node bifurcation, but also gave practical approaches to identify the saddle-node bifurcation and to distinguish it from the Hopf bifurcation in neuronal system. In addition, many previously observed firing patterns can be attribute to stochastic firing pattern near such a saddle-node bifurcation.