State-to-State Transitions in a Hindmarsh-Rose Neuron System

We investigate the dynamical response of the neuron system to a feeble external signal by using the Hindmarsh-Rose model, when the system is tuned below the first bifurcation point, which corresponds to the period-1 bursting state, and an external signal with a fixed period of about 170s is introduced to the system. It is found that to respond to the outside signal, the system changes from the period-1 state to a period-2 one with variation of the signal amplitude, indicating the occurrence of state-to-state transition (SST). Moreover, when a signal with different fixed periods is introduced, we can also find a similar transition between other states. Furthermore, the effect of the frequency of the signal on the transition is also discussed. These results may imply that SST plays a constructive role in information processing in neuron systems.