To provide: compositions and methods for controlling pain; and methods for identifying agents that control pain.SOLUTION: A method for controlling pain comprises introducing into a primary afferent neuron of an individual a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an opsin polypeptide, the opsin polypeptide providing hyperpolarization of the primary afferent neuron in response to light of a wavelength that activates the opsin.SELECTED DRAWING: None
COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING PAIN