Delayed feedback and detection of weak periodic signals in a stochastic Hodgkin–Huxley neuron

We study the effect of the delayed feedback loop on the weak periodic signal detection performance of a stochastic Hodgkin–Huxley neuron. We consider an electrical autapse characterized by its coupling strength and delay time. The stochastic Hodgkin–Huxley neuron exhibits subthreshold oscillations, and thus has an intrinsic time scale with the subthreshold oscillations. Therefore, we investigate the interplay of the subthreshold oscillations, coupling strength and delay time on the weak periodic signal detection. Results indicate that the delayed feedback either enhances or suppresses the weak signal detection depending on its parameters, when compared to that without the feedback. The delayed feedback augments the weak periodic signal detection for the optimal values of the intrinsic noise and the coupling strength when the delay time is close to the integer multiples of the period of the intrinsic oscillations, due to the multiple resonance among the weak signal, the intrinsic oscillations, and the delayed feedback. We analyze the interspike interval histograms and show that the delayed feedback enhances or suppresses the weak periodic signal detection by increasing or decreasing the phase locking (synchronization) between the spiking and the weak periodic signal. We also show that an optimal phase locking is obtained when the delay time is close to the period of the intrinsic oscillations, leading a single dominant time scale in the spike trains. •We show the impacts of autapse on the weak signal detection in a HH neuron.•Autapse either enhances or reduces the weak signal detection in a HH neuron.•The best weak signal detection requires a specific range of the intrinsic noise.•The best weak signal detection requires a specific range of the autapse parameters.