Energy cost reduction in the synchronization of a pair of nonidentical coupled Hindmarsh-Rose neurons

Many biological processes involve synchronization between nonequivalent systems, i.e, systems where the difference is limited to a rather small parameter mismatch. The maintenance of the synchronized regime in this cases is energetically costly \cite{1}. This work studies the energy implications of synchronization phenomena in a pair of structurally flexible coupled neurons that interact through electrical coupling. We show that the forced synchronization between two nonidentical neurons creates appropriate conditions for an efficient actuation of adaptive laws able to make the neurons structurally approach their behaviours in order to decrease the flow of energy required to maintain the synchronization regime.