Control and synchronization of laser bursting and its implications in neuroscience

We present experimental and numerical evidence of control and synchronization of burst events in modulated CO2 lasers. Bursts appear randomly in each laser as trains of large amplitude spikes intercalated by a small amplitude chaotic regime. Experimental data and model display the frequency locking of bursts in a suitable interval of coupling strengths. The analogy with neuronal bursting will also be discussed in view of the role of bursting synchronization in cognitive functions.