Bifurcation of a three-unit neural network

Considered is a system of delay differential equations modeling a time-delayed connecting network of three neurons without self-feedback. Discussing the change of the number of eigenvalues with zero real part, we locate the boundary of the stability region and finally determine the largest stability region of trivial solution. We investigate the existence of bifurcation phenomena of codimension one/two of the trivial equilibrium by considering the intersections of some parameter curves, which, in the aτ-half parameter plane, correspond to zero root or pure imaginary roots. In particular, the equivariant bifurcation is studied because of the equivariance of the system. We also present numerical simulations to demonstrate the rich dynamical behavior near the equivariant Pitchfork–Hopf bifurcation points, Hopf–Hopf bifurcation points, and some higher codimension bifurcation points.