Information transmission delay is an inherent feature of neural networks and can significantly influence their collective dynamics. However, most previous studies on Chimera states in photosensitive neural networks have focused exclusively on electrical synaptic coupling, while the role of chemical synapses in shaping Chimera dynamics remains largely unexplored. To better mimic the complex synaptic connections in the brain, we construct a single-layer photosensitive neural network with mixed electrical and chemical synaptic coupling. We systematically investigate the effects of coupling strength and time delay on the emergence and evolution of Chimera states under three different autapse conditions: no autapse, positive-gain autapse, and negative-gain autapse. The results show that, in networks without autapses or with positive-gain autapses, Chimera states emerge primarily at relatively small time delays and are strongly influenced by the coupling strength. In contrast, in networks with negative-gain autapses, Chimera states can still be induced at relatively large time delays, while the influence of coupling strength on the collective dynamics is significantly reduced. These results demonstrate that, even after the introduction of chemical synapses into photosensitive neural networks, Chimera states remain sensitive to time delay and coupling strength. Our findings provide a new perspective for understanding the collective dynamics of neural networks with hybrid electrical and chemical synaptic coupling.
- Open Access
- Article
The Chimera States of a Mixed-Coupled Photosensitive Neural Networks under Time Delay
- Xinlei An * and
- Xinyue Wang
Author Information
Received: 10 August 2026 | Revised: 05 October 2026 | Accepted: 29 October 2026 | Published: 10 November 2026
Abstract
Keywords
neural networks | photosensitive neuron | chimera state | autapse | time delay
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