Chaotic oscillations in a map-based model of neural activity

We propose a discrete time dynamical system (a map) as a phenomenological model of excitable and spiking-bursting neurons. The model is a discontinuous two-dimensional map. We find conditions under which this map has an invariant region on the phase plane, containing a chaotic attractor. This attractor creates chaotic spiking-bursting oscillations of the model. We also show various regimes of other neural activities (subthreshold oscillations, phasic spiking, etc.) derived from the proposed model. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.