Patent Document ID: 20060069245
Application ID: 10527950
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for identifying candidate compounds for enhancing CREB pathway function comprising the steps of: a) contacting host cells comprising an indicator gene operably linked to a CRE promoter with a test compound and with a suboptimal dose of a CREB function stimulating agent; b) determining indicator activity in said host cells which have been contacted with said test compound and with said CREB function stimulating agent; c) comparing the indicator activity determined in step c) with the indicator activity in control cells which have been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent and which have not been contacted with said test compound; d) selecting said test compound if: i) the indicator activity determined in step b) is increased relative to the indicator activity in said control cells which have been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent and which have not been contacted with said test compound; and ii) the indicator activity in control cells which have not been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent and which have been contacted with said test compound is not significantly different relative to the indicator activity in control cells which have not been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent and which have not been contacted with said test compound; e) repeating steps a) to d) with a range of different concentrations of said test compound selected in step d); and f) selecting said test compound if: i) the indicator activity is increased in the range of concentrations for said test compound relative to the indicator activity in said control cells which have been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent and which have not been contacted with said test compound; and ii) the indicator activity in control cells which have not been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent and which have been introduced said range of different concentrations of said test compound is not significantly different relative to the indicator activity in control cells which have not been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent and which have not been contacted with said test compound, wherein said test compound is identified as a candidate compound for enhancing CREB pathway function.