Spatiotemporal Dynamics in the Network of Memristive Morris–Lecar Neurons with Chemical Synapses

The disruption of the human brain’s resting states, which are critical for normal cognitive function and information processing, has been frequently linked to alterations in spatiotemporal coordination. Among the most prominent patterns in such excitable neural media are spiral waves, whose formation and dynamics have been extensively studied across biological and computational contexts. In this regard, many studies have focused on electrical synapses in the spatially connected neuronal networks. In this study, we investigate the dynamics of a lattice of memristive Morris–Lecar neurons under the influence of chemical synaptic coupling. Specifically, we report the distinct wave patterns that emerge when the key chemical synaptic parameters, such as firing threshold, sigmoidal slope and reversal potential, are varied. Additionally, we investigate the influence of electromagnetic induction, external current, noise effects and other factors that drive the emergence of spiral waves. We have computed the statistical synchronization factor for the key parameter of the chemical synapse. We observe diverse spatiotemporal patterns; notably, the single-core spirals are prominent in the excitable media. Furthermore, these spirals frequently transition into turbulent patterns or vanish altogether. These results advance our understanding of the role of chemical synapses in neuron populations. Our results may offer novel perspectives on spiral wave mechanisms and related neurobiological research.