Provided is a method for determining whether an agent is an agonist of the neuron-specific calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1), for consideration of an agonist of NCS-1 as a drug candidate for therapy of a behavioral disorder or for improving learning and/or memory of a subject, said method comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell, tissue or non-human animal with an agent to be screened under conditions to permit neuron-specific calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) activity; and (b) determining NCS-1 activity of said treated cell, tissue or non-human animal, wherein an increase in NCS-1 activity compared with a corresponding control cell, tissue or animal is indicative of an agent which is an agonist of NCS-1.