Dynamics of a network of quadratic integrate-and-fire neurons with bimodal heterogeneity

An exact low-dimensional system of mean-field equations for an infinite-size network of pulse coupled integrate-and-fire neurons with a bimodal distribution of an excitability parameter is derived. Bifurcation analysis of these equations shows a rich variety of dynamic modes that do not exist with a unimodal distribution of this parameter. New modes include multistable equilibrium states with different levels of the spiking rate, collective oscillations and chaos. All oscillatory modes coexist with stable equilibrium states. The mean field equations are a good approximation to the solutions of a microscopic model consisting of several thousand neurons.