Patent Document ID: 10086012
Application ID: 13882705
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for reversibly inhibiting the formation of a fearful memory associated with contextual fear conditioning or retrieval of a fearful memory associated with contextual fear conditioning in an individual, the method comprising: a) administering a recombinant viral expression vector comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a light-activated protein directly to the dorsal CA1 field of the hippocampus, wherein the nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a neuron-specific promoter, wherein light-activated protein is expressed on the cell membrane of the excitatory neurons in the dorsal CA1 field of the hippocampus, wherein the light-activated protein is responsive to light and is capable of inhibiting depolarization of the neurons when the neurons are illuminated with the light, and wherein the light-activated protein comprises, in order from amino terminus to carboxyl terminus: i) a core amino acid sequence that is at least 85% identical to the NpHR amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3; ii) an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export signal; and iii) a membrane trafficking signal; and b) activating the light-activated protein by light using an implantable light source implanted adjacent to the neurons expressing the light-activated protein, whereby activating the protein by the light reversibly inhibits formation or retrieval of the fearful memory in the individual.