Patent ID: 8319007

Claim:
A screening method of identifying a therapeutic agent for essential tremor, comprising: a) administering a test compound to a gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABA A ) α1 −/− ; Emx1-Cre homozygous knockout mouse whose genome comprises disruption of both GABA A α1 subunit alleles specifically in dorsal telencephalon exhibiting essential tremor, wherein tremor intensity of the GABA A α1 −/− ; Emx1-Cre mouse is 1.5- to 2-fold stronger in the frequency of 25-30 Hz than those in a GABA A α1 −/− mouse; b) measuring tremor frequency or tremor intensity when the treated mouse (experimental group) is moving or posturing; and c) identifying the test compound that has decreased the tremor frequency or tremor intensity compared to a GABA A α1 −/− ; Emx1-Cre mouse not treated with the test compound (control group) as a therapeutic agent for essential tremor.