Sungwoo Ahn

I'm an assistant professor at East Carolina University. Office: Austin 210. Phone: (252)756-1556. Please contact me : ahns15 at ecu dot edu

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Mailing Address:
Department of Mathematics,
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858.


Teaching in Spring 2018


Research Interests

My research has focused on the development and analysis of mathematical models relating to neuronal systems in the brain. One of the main goals of my work is to understand how the emergent firing patterns of neuronal networks in the brain depend on the intrinsic properties of the neurons and its underlying network architecture. More specificially, my interests are the following:


Read about my research at IUPUI Newsroom


Also read about my research at PNAS Journal Club


Reviewer/Referee for Professional Journals


Publications and Preprints

  • S. Ahn, S.E. Zauber, R.M. Worth, T. Witt, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2018). Neural synchronization: average strength vs. temporal patterning. Clinical Neurophysiology 129:842–844. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.01.063. Link to the paper
  • C. Park, K.N. Clements, F.A. Issa and S. Ahn (2018). Effects of social experience on the habituation rate of zebrafish startle escape response: Empirical and computational analyses. Front Neural Circuits 12:7. DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00007. Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn and L.L. Rubchinsky (2017). Potential Mechanisms and Functions of Intermittent Neural Synchronization. Front Comput Neurosci 11:44. DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2017.00044. Link to the paper
  • T. Miller, K. Clements, S. Ahn, C. Park, E.H. Ji, and F.A. Issa (2017). Social status-dependent shift in neural circuit activation affects decision-making. J Neurosci 37 (8) 2137-2148. DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1548-16.2017. Link to the paper
  • L.L. Rubchinsky, C. Park, and S. Ahn (2017) Dynamics of Intermittent Synchronization of Neural Activity. In: Advances in Dynamics, Patterns, Cognition. S. Igor, y A. Pikovsky, N.F. Rulkov, L.S. Tsimring (eds.) Link to the book
  • S. Ahn, S.E. Zauber, R.M. Worth, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2016). Synchronized Beta-Band Oscillations in a Model of the Globus Pallidus - Subthalamic Nucleus Network under External Input. Front Comput Neurosci 10:134. Link to the paper
  • W. Just and S. Ahn (2016). Lengths of attractors and transients in neuronal networks with random connectivities. SIAM J Discrete Math 30(2): 912-933. Link to the paper
  • L.L. Rubchinsky and S. Ahn (2015). Short desynchronization epochs in neural synchronization: detection, mechanisms, and functions. BMC Neuroscience 16 (Suppl 1):P3. (DOI:10.1186/1471-2202-16-S1-P3)Link to the paper
  • S. Ratnadurai-Giridhara, S.E. Zauber, R.M. Worth, T. Witt, S. Ahn, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2015). Temporal patterning of neural synchrony in the basal ganglia in Parkinson's disease. Clin Neurophysiol 127:1743-1745.Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn, S.E. Zauber, R.M. Worth, T. Witt, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2015). Interaction of synchronized dynamics in cortical and basal ganglia networks in Parkinson's disease. Eur J Neurosci 42(5):2164-2171.Link to the paper
  • L.L. Rubchinsky, S. Ahn, and C. Park (2014). Dynamics of desynchronized episodes in intermittent synchronization. Front Phys 2:38.Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn, S.E. Zauber, R.M. Worth, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2014). The response of the subthalamo-pallidal networks of the Basal Ganglia to oscillatory cortical input in Parkinson's disease. BMC Neuroscience 15 (Suppl 1):P57. (DOI:10.1186/1471-2202-15-S1-P57). Link to the paper
  • S.E. Zauber, S. Ahn, R.M. Worth, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2014). Oscillatory neural activity of anteromedial Globus Pallidus internus in Tourette syndrome. Clin Neurophysiol pii: S1388-2457(14)00012-1.Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn, J. Solfest, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2014). Fine temporal structure of cardiorespiratory synchronization. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 306(5):H755-763.Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn, D. Linsenbardt, C. Lapish, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2013). Repeated injections of D-Amphetamine evoke rapid and dynamic changes in phase synchrony between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Front Behav Neurosci 7:92. Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn and L.L. Rubchinsky (2013). Short desynchronization episodes prevail in synchronous dynamics of human brain rhythms. Chaos 23, 013138. Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn and L.L. Rubchinsky (2013). Fine temporal structure of neural synchronization. BMC Neuroscience 14 (Suppl 1):P336. (DOI:10.1186/1471-2202-14-S1-P336). Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn, L.L. Rubchinsky, and C. Lapish (2013). Dynamical reorganization of synchronous activity patterns in prefrontal cortex-hippocampus networks during behavioral sensitization. Cereb. Cortex (doi: 10.1093/cercor/bht110). Link to the paper
  • W. Just, S. Ahn and D. Terman (2013) Neuronal Networks: A Discrete Model. In: Mathematical Concepts and Methods in Modern Biology. R. Robeva and T. Hodge (eds.) Link to the AMAZON
  • S. Ahn and W. Just (2012). Digraphs vs. dynamics in discrete models of neuronal networks. Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems Series B 17(5):1365-1381. Link to the paper
  • S. Ahn, C. Park, and L.L. Rubchinsky (2011). Detecting the temporal structure of intermittent phase-locking. Phys. Rev. E 84, 016201. Link to the paper
  • Ph.D. Thesis of Sungwoo Ahn (2010). Transient and attractor dynamics in models for odor discrimination. Link to my thesis
  • S. Ahn, B. Smith, A. Borisyuk, and D. Terman (2010). Analyzing neuronal networks using discrete-time dynamics. Physica D 239, 515-528. Link to the paper
  • W. Just, S. Ahn, and D. Terman (2008). Minimal attractors in digraph system models of neuronal networks. Physica D 237, 3186-3196. Link to the paper
  • D. Terman, S. Ahn, X. Wang, and W. Just (2008). Reducing neuronal networks to discrete dynamics. Physica D 237(3), 324-338. Link to the paper


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