PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a more effective treatment with fewer side effects based on a deeper understanding of the control mechanism of anxiety in the mammalian brain.SOLUTION: According to the present invention, there are provided an animal expressing a light-responsive opsin protein in the basal lateral amygdala of the brain and a method for producing such a protein. Here, illumination of the light-responsive opsin protein causes anxiety in the animal. There are further provided a method for alleviating and inducing anxiety in an animal and a method for screening for a compound that alleviates anxiety in an animal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8
OPTICALLY CONTROLLED CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) DYSFUNCTION