Nonlinear dependence of desynchronization effects of coordinated reset on the number of stimulation sites and frequency

We study long-lasting desynchronization by coordinated reset (CR) stimulation in excitatory recurrent neuronal networks of integrate-and-fire neurons with spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). We focus on the impact of the stimulation frequency and the number of stimulation sites on long-lasting effects. We compare theoretical predictions to simulations of plastic neuronal networks. We reveal that long-lasting effects become most pronounced when stimulation parameters are adjusted to the characteristics of STDP, rather than to neuronal frequency characteristics. This is in contrast to previous studies where the CR frequency was adjusted to the dominant neuronal rhythm. Also, we show a nonlinear dependence of long-lasting effects on the number of stimulation sites and the CR frequency. Intriguingly, optimal long-lasting desynchronization does not require larger numbers of stimulation sites. Our results indicate that tuning the spatial resolution of lead electrodes and stimulation parameters may help to exploit neuronal plasticity for long-lasting therapeutic effects.