Excitation patterns in the networks of inhibitory and excitatory neurons in the model of the neuroglial-vascular unit

Lagosha S.V., Verveyko D.V., Lukin P.O., Brazhe A.R., Verisokin A.Yu.
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Numerous contemporary studies confirm that neurons, astrocytes and blood vessels function as a unified dynamic system. Consequently, the concept of the integrated neurogliovascular unit (NGVU), encompassing these components, has emerged and gained significant traction in recent years. According to this framework, normal brain function relies on a broad complex of interactions between NGVU elements, while the disruption of these links may underlie various neuropathologies. Understanding the processes within a single NGVU, as well as the organization of connections between multiple units, is a prerequisite for successful diagnosis and therapy of neurological disorders.

In this work, we developed an NGVU model that, for the first time, integrates a detailed description of synaptically coupled excitatory and inhibitory neuronal networks (accounting for the E/I balance), extracellular environment dynamics (potassium, glutamate, GABA), and norepinephrine-modulated astrocytic activity, with subsequent regulation of local blood flow.

A key conceptual feature of the model is the integration of multiscale processes — ranging from ion dynamics at the level of individual Hodgkin – Huxley neurons to substance diffusion across a network of 100 NGVUs — into a single system of coupled nonlinear differential equations. This approach enabled the investigation of the ensemble’s collective dynamics and the identification of novel functional regimes.

Numerical experiments established that extracellular potassium dynamics and positive feedback play a decisive role in the formation of stable spatial excitation structures. It is shown that under local stimulation, activity remains confined due to potassium diffusion outflow; however, supercritical excitation initiates self-sustaining autowave regimes. The stabilization of these regimes leads to the formation of spatial patterns morphologically similar to Turing structures. These patterns, characterized by alternating zones of high and low activity, are independent of specific initial conditions but sensitive to parameter variations. This suggests that the system operates in a dynamic instability (chaos) regime, which is consistent with the concept of self-organized criticality of the brain under physiological conditions. The model successfully reproduces experimentally observed phenomena, including bursting and sensitivity to extracellular potassium. The results provide new perspectives for analyzing the pathophysiological mechanisms of brain function.

Keywords: neurogliovascular unit, neuron activity, astrocytes, neurons, neuromodulators, glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, norepinephrine, blood flow
Citation in English: Lagosha S.V., Verveyko D.V., Lukin P.O., Brazhe A.R., Verisokin A.Yu. Excitation patterns in the networks of inhibitory and excitatory neurons in the model of the neuroglial-vascular unit // Computer Research and Modeling, 2026, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 439-461
Citation in English: Lagosha S.V., Verveyko D.V., Lukin P.O., Brazhe A.R., Verisokin A.Yu. Excitation patterns in the networks of inhibitory and excitatory neurons in the model of the neuroglial-vascular unit // Computer Research and Modeling, 2026, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 439-461
DOI: 10.20537/2076-7633-2026-18-2-439-461
URL: http://crm-en.ics.org.ru/journal/article/3717/
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Copyright © 2026 Lagosha S.V., Verveyko D.V., Lukin P.O., Brazhe A.R., Verisokin A.Yu.

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