# US 2014/0271479 A1 · Optogenetic control of inputs to the ventral tegmental area

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- Number: US 2014/0271479 A1
- Document ID: US20140271479A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/209,004
- Filed: 2014-03-13
- Published: 2014-09-18
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15
- Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
- Applicants: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
- Inventors: Stephan Lammel; ByungKook Lim; Robert C. Malenka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140271479A1

## CPC

- A61K 38/1709: {from mammals}
- A01K 67/0275: Genetically modified vertebrates, e.g. transgenic
- A61K 38/177: {Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants}
- A61K 48/0058: {Nucleic acids adapted for tissue specific expression, e.g. having tissue specific promoters as part of a contruct}
- A61K 49/0008: {Screening agents using (non-human) animal models or transgenic animal models or chimeric hosts, e.g. Alzheimer disease animal model, transgenic model for heart failure}
- A61N 5/0601: {Apparatus for use inside the body}
- A61N 5/062: {Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent}
- A01K 2217/052: inducing gain of function
- A01K 2227/105: Murine
- A01K 2267/03: Animal model, e.g. for test or diseases
- A61N 2005/0612: {using probes penetrating tissue; interstitial probes}
- A61N 2005/0651: {Diodes}
- A61N 2005/0663: {Coloured light}
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of inducing or modulating reward- or aversive-related behaviors in animals using light-responsive opsins. The present disclosure provides methods of identifying or screening compounds that may be used to treating mental disorders, or are relevant to disrupt or improve reward- or aversive related behaviors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of modulating a reward- or aversive-related behavior in a mammal, the method comprising:
a) expressing in one or both of two inputs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) from the laterodorsal tegmentum and the lateral habenula a light-responsive opsin polypeptide; and
b) exposing the input to light,
wherein said exposing modulates a reward- or aversive-related behavior in the mammal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said light-responsive opsin polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least about 90% amino acid sequence identity to an amino acid depicted in FIGS. 6A-H.

### Claim 3

A non-human animal model of a reward- or aversive-related behavioral disorder, wherein said non-human animal expresses a light-responsive opsin polypeptide in one or both of two inputs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) from the laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT) and the lateral habenula (LHb).

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A method of identifying an agent that modulates a reward- or aversive-related behavior in an individual, the method comprising:
a) administering a test agent to a non-human animal of claim 3; and
b) determining the effect of the test agent on a reward- or aversive-related behavior exhibited by said non-human animal when the light-responsive opsin polypeptide is activated by light, wherein a test agent that reduces an adverse reward- or aversive-related behavior is considered a candidate agent for treating a reward- or aversive-related behavioral disorder.