Resonance in a noise-driven excitable neuron model

The effects of variations in bifurcation parameter on coherence resonance in the noisy FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) neuron model are studied. We find that the coherence resonance effect depends monotonically on the firing bifurcation parameter, and this result is interpreted analytically. Then an external control method is presented to modulate coherence resonance in the excitable neuron model, and our scheme is based on the result that a weak periodic perturbation can be used to change the critical firing onset value. This method can be used to either enhance the effect of coherence resonance or delay the occurrence of coherence resonance, and the application of the method to another neuron model is also discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.