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Chin. Phys. B, 2026, Vol. 35(6): 068705    DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/ae48c2
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Bursting synchronization induced by time-delay excitatory or inhibitory autapse in a minimal neuron-astrocyte network

Liao Yu(余廖)1, Wenlong Zhu(朱文龙)1, Zhuoqin Yang(杨卓琴)1,†, and Zehan Luo (罗泽翰)2
1 School of Mathematical Sciences, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China;
2 School of Artificial Intelligence, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Abstract  A growing body of research has focused on neuron-astrocyte networks; however, relatively few studies have explored the modulatory role of physiologically relevant time-delayed autapses in such network architectures. In this work, we conduct a preliminary investigation into lag synchronization and phase synchronization of bursting for a pyramidal neuron and an interneuron within a neuron-astrocyte network, which are respectively induced by time delays in excitatory and inhibitory autapses. Our results reveal distinct synchronizations under the regulatory effects of the two types of time-delayed autapses. As the time delay of the excitatory autapses varies, neuronal firing transits from synchronization of the initial bursting through chaotic dynamics and back to synchronized bursting. In contrast, under the modulation of timedelayed inhibitory autapses, the two neurons first exhibit synchronized behaviors across diverse bursting patterns, followed by burst desynchronization. The results uncover the differential regulatory mechanisms of excitatory and inhibitory time-delayed autapses on neuronal synchronization, providing critical empirical evidence for understanding autaptic functions in glia-modulated networks. Moreover, this study lays a solid theoretical foundation for future investigations on autaptic effects in more complex neuron-astrocyte networks and enriches the research landscape of neurodynamics and nonlinear dynamics.
Keywords:  astrocyte      time-delayed autapse      bursting      lag synchronization      phase synchronization  
Received:  24 December 2025      Revised:  28 January 2026      Accepted manuscript online:  23 February 2026
PACS:  87.19.lj (Neuronal network dynamics)  
  87.19.lm (Synchronization in the nervous system)  
  87.85.dq (Neural networks)  
Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12372060).
Corresponding Authors:  Zhuoqin Yang     E-mail:  yangzhuoqin@buaa.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Liao Yu(余廖), Wenlong Zhu(朱文龙), Zhuoqin Yang(杨卓琴), and Zehan Luo (罗泽翰) Bursting synchronization induced by time-delay excitatory or inhibitory autapse in a minimal neuron-astrocyte network 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 068705

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