Parametric perturbation in a model that describes the neuronal membrane potential.

Abstract The Rulkov mapping is a phenomenological model that simulates the changes in the neuronal membrane potential. In this work, we introduce a parametric perturbation in the Rulkov map, that can be related to an unexpected behavior, such as a malfunction of the neuronal membrane due to pathologies. The perturbed system still keeps its main characteristics, which includes periodic behavior followed by chaotic bursts. We verify the existence of a set of periodic regions, known as shrimps, embedded in chaotic attractors in the system with parametric perturbation. Some changes in the phase space, time evolution of the variables and bifurcation diagrams are observed. Finally, we show the extreming curves, which demonstrate how is the organization of the periodic regions in the parameter space. Highlights • Parametric perturbation in the Rulkov mapping. • A model that describes the neuronal membrane potential is studied. • The system presents periodic behavior followed by chaotic bursts. • We show how is the organization of the periodic regions in the parameter space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]