Light-inducible gene expression technology will be applied to mouse neural circuits to investigate the causal effects of transient induction of immediate early genes (IEGs), such as Egr1 and Arc, on cognitive function. By inducing distinct temporal patterns of IEG expression during memory-related events, including learning and memory consolidation, we will evaluate their impact on cognition through behavioral analyses, including associative memory and spatial memory tasks. The knowledge gained from this study is expected to advance our understanding of the spatiotemporal regulatory mechanisms underlying neural circuit dynamics that support higher-order brain functions in mammals, and to contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies targeting memory and cognitive disorders.