A Bonhoeffer–van der Pol system is analyzed in the range of parameters where the attractor is a focus. The system’s responses to a single pulse stimulus applied at different points along a ‘‘hidden structure’’ are used to construct a one-dimensional map from which the system’s responses to pulse train stimulations are obtained.

• Received 4 January 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.50.1572