Patent Document ID: 8124330
Application ID: 10527950
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for identifying a compound that enhances cognitive function comprising 1) screening a plurality of candidate cognitive enhancer compounds by a) contacting cells of neural origin with a candidate cognitive enhancer compound and with a suboptimal dose of a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) function stimulating agent simultaneously or sequentially, wherein said CREB function stimulating agent is forskolin; b) assessing endogenous CREB-dependent gene expression in said cells of neural origin which have been contacted with said cognitive enhancer compound and with said CREB function stimulating agent, wherein said CREB function stimulating agent is forskolin; c) assessing endogenous CREB-dependent gene expression in said cells of neural origin which have been contacted with said CREB function stimulating agent alone, wherein said CREB function stimulating agent is forskolin; d) comparing endogenous CREB-dependent gene expression assessed in step b) with endogenous CREB-dependent gene expression assessed in step c); 2) identifying candidate cognitive enhancer compounds for further study as a cognitive enhancer if said endogenous CREB-dependent gene expression in step b) is significantly increased relative to said endogenous CREB-dependent gene expression in step c).