Patent ID: 7262336

Claim:
A transgenic rat containing in its genome a nucleotide sequence encoding a mutant Gαq subunit protein, wherein said mutant Gαq subunit protein has glycine 188 substituted with serine (G188S) and wherein said mutant Gαq subunit protein is uncoupled from regulation by Regulators of G-protein Signaling (RGS) proteins, said nucleotide sequence being operatively linked with a neuron-specific expression control sequence, wherein the transgenic rat expresses the Gαq subunit protein in neural cells resulting in extended G-protein coupled receptor signaling mediated by the Gαq subunit protein, and wherein said transgenic rat exhibits a phenotype selected from the group consisting of vibration as assessed by global behavior assessment; increased center return time as assessed by an open field test; decreased contextual fear conditioning; decreased food intake; decreased body weight; increased sensitivity to 5-HT2A agonists and 5-HT2C agonists; increased cholinergic signs in response to muscarinic agonists; decreased prepulse inhibition; increased hyperactivity in response to N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists; and decreased hyperactivity in response to dopamine (DA) agonists, as compared to a wild type control.