  A neural network model that exhibits stochastic population bursting is
studied by simulation. First return maps of inter-burst intervals exhibit
recurrent unstable periodic orbit (UPO)-like trajectories similar to those
found in experiments on hippocampal slices. Applications of various control
methods and surrogate analysis for UPO-detection also yield results similar to
those of experiments. Our results question the interpretation of the
experimental data as evidence for deterministic chaos and suggest caution in
the use of UPO-based methods for detecting determinism in time-series data.
