Multiple periodic solutions in a delay-coupled system of neural oscillators (Q635238)

The paper studies the bidirectional ring of coupled delay differential equations \[ \dot x_i (t) = -x_i(t) + a f(y_i(t-\tau)) + b f(y_{i+1}(t-\tau)) + b f(y_{i-1}(t-\tau)), \] \[ \dot y_i (t) = -y_i(t) - a f(x_i(t-\tau)), \] where \(i\) is considered modulo \(n\), and the function \(f: \mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) is a sufficiently smooth odd bounded function satisfying \(f'(0)=1\) and \(\chi f'(\chi)<0\) for all \(\chi\neq 0\). Firstly, the linear stability of a steady state is investigated. Then, using the symmetric bifurcation theory for delay differential equations, the bifurcations of multiple branches of periodic solutions and their spatio-temporal shape are discussed.