Chialvo map

The Chialvo map is a two-dimensional map proposed by Dante R. Chialvo in 1995[1] to describe the generic dynamics of excitable systems.

The model is inspired by Kunihiko Kaneko's Coupled map lattice numerical approach which considers time and space as discrete variables but state as a continuous one.

Later on Rulkov popularized a similar approach.

[2] By using only three parameters the model is able to efficiently mimic generic neuronal dynamics in computational simulations, as single elements or as parts of inter-connected networks.

The model is an iterative map where at each time step, the behavior of one neuron is updated as the following equations:

is called activation or action potential variable, and

is a time-dependent additive perturbation or a constant bias,

is the time constant of recovery

is the activation-dependence of the recovery process

The model has a rich dynamics, presenting from oscillatory  to chaotic behavior,[3][4] as well as non trivial responses to small stochastic fluctuations.

[5][6] The map is able to capture the aperiodic solutions and the bursting behavior which are remarkable in the context of neural systems.

the system passes from oscillations to aperiodic bursting solutions.

the model mimics the lack of ‘voltage-dependence inactivation’ for real neurons and the evolution of the recovery variable is fixed at

Therefore, the dynamics of the activation variable is basically described by the iteration of the following equations

has a period-doubling bifurcation structure.

A practical implementation is the combination of

neurons over a lattice, for that, it can be defined

as a coupling constant for combining the neurons.

For neurons in a single row, we can define the evolution of action potential on time by the diffusion of the local temperature

, in absence of perturbations they are at the resting state.

If we introduce a stimulus over cell 1, it induces two propagated waves circulating in opposite directions that eventually collapse and die in the middle of the ring.

Analogous to the previous example, it's possible create a set of coupling neurons over a 2-D lattice, in this case the evolution of action potentials is given by:

, represent the index of each neuron in a square lattice of size

With this example spiral waves can be represented for specific values of parameters.

In order to visualize the spirals, we set the initial condition in a specific configuration

The map can also present chaotic dynamics for certain parameter values.

In the following figure we show the chaotic behavior of the variable

The map can be used to simulated a nonquenched disordered lattice (as in Ref [7]), where each map connects with four nearest neighbors on a square lattice, and in addition each map has a probability

of connecting to another one randomly chosen, multiple coexisting circular excitation waves will emerge at the beginning of the simulation until spirals takes over.

is scanned in a range, different orbits will be seen, some periodic, others chaotic, that appear between two fixed points, one at

Activation variable as a function of time for the chaotic regime
Solution for the Chialvo map equations for the chaotic regime
Activation variable as a function of time for the excitable regime
Solution for the Chialvo map equations for the excitable regime
Example of spiral waves for the Two-dimensional Chialvo map in 100 x 100 lattice and parameters a=0.89, b=0.6, c= 0.26, and k=0.02.
Evolution of Potential X as a function of time in a 500x500 lattice for a chaotic regime with parameters a=0.89, b=0.18, c= 0.28, and k=0.026.
Example of spiral waves for the Two-dimensional Chialvo map in an annealed random network starting from a 128 x 128 lattice with probability of rewiring and parameters a=0.89, b=0.6, c= 0.26, and k=0.02.
Evolution of as a function of parameter for a Chialvo map neuron. Parameters: , , , and from to .
GIF: Evolution of as a function of parameter for a Chialvo map neuron. Parameters: , , , and from to .