Temporal precision of spike response to fluctuating input in pulse-coupled networks of oscillating neurons

Abstract

A single neuron is known to generate almost identical spike trains when the same fluctuating input is repeatedly applied. Here, we study the reliability of spike firing in a pulse-coupled network of oscillator neurons receiving fluctuating inputs. We can study the precise responses of the network as synchronization between uncoupled copies of the network by a common noisy input. To study the noise-induced synchronization between networks, we derive a self-consistent equation for the distribution of spike-time differences between the networks. Solving this equation, we elucidate how the spike precision changes as a function of the coupling strength.