Role of refractory period in homoclinic models of neural synchronization

We study the properties of a homoclinic model of neuron by introducing a suitable one-dimensional map. We show that the system is characterized by a response time to external signals which is a decreasing function of the signal strength, in contrast to excitable models whose response time is signal-independent. In a one-dimensional array of these systems with bidirectional coupling, we observe a sudden transition to a synchronized state at a certain value of the coupling strength. The transition occurs when the response time of a site to the signals of the adjacent sites is of the order of refractory time. Near the transition, we find an intermittent behavior due to the competition between a turbulent and a synchronized state. The observed behavior distinguishes homoclinic systems from excitable systems.