Vibrational resonance in a heterogeneous scale free network of neurons

Vibrational resonance (VR) is a phenomenon whereby the response of some dynamical systems to a weak low-frequency signal can be maximized with the assistance of an optimal intensity of another high-frequency signal. In this paper, we study the VR in a heterogeneous neural system having a complex network topology. We consider a scale-free network of neurons where the heterogeneity is in the intrinsic excitability of the individual neurons. It is shown that emergence of VR in heterogeneous neuron population requires less energy than a homogeneous population. We also find that electrical coupling strength among neurons plays a key role in determining the weak signal processing capacity of the heterogeneous population. Lastly, we investigate the influence of interneuronal link density on the VR and demonstrate that the energy needed to obtain the resonance grows with the increase in average degree. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.