Optimal network size for Hodgkin-Huxley neurons

The collective behavior of an array of coupled Hodgkin-Huxley neurons, which are subject to subthreshold signal and external noise, is investigated by numerical methods. It is found that the network size, the number of Hodgkin- Huxley neurons in the network, has an optimal value, at which the collective behavior shows the best performance. The value of the optimal network size goes up when the coupling strength increases. Such a nontrivial dependence on the network size is not found if we only consider the response of an individual neuron in the network. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.