  We present an approach which enables to state about the existence of phase
synchronization in coupled chaotic oscillators without having to measure the
phase. This is done by observing the oscillators at special times, and
analyzing whether this set of points is localized. In particular, we show that
this approach is fruitful to analyze the onset of phase synchronization in
chaotic attractors whose phases are not well defined, as well as, in networks
of non-identical spiking/bursting neurons connected by chemical synapses.
