a Schematic of illumination and virus injection of AAV-DIO-eYFP and AAV-DIO-eNpHR-eYFP in the LPBN of VgluT2-ires-Cre mice. b Yellow illumination (589 nm, 1 Hz, 999-ms pulse width, 10 mW) of LPBNVglut2 neurons significantly elevates the PWT in response to mechanical stimulation in both Sham-operated and CPN-ligated VgluT2-ires-Cre mice transfected with AAV-DIO-eNpHR virus, but not in mice transfected with DIO-eYFP virus. c Yellow illumination (589 nm, 1 Hz, 999-ms pulse width, 10 mW) of the LPBN significantly increases the latency of the thermal paw-withdrawal response in the Hargreaves test in both Sham-operated and CPN-ligated VgluT2-ires-Cre mice transfected with AAV-DIO-eNpHR virus, but not in mice transfected with DIO-eYFP virus. d Representative tracks of RTPP illustrating yellow (589 nm) light-evoked behavioral preference in CPN-ligated VgluT2-ires-Cre mice injected with AAV-DIO-eYFP (left) or DIO-eNpHR (right) virus in the LPBN. e, f Quantification of RTPP in CPN-ligated mice before (Pre), during (Light), and after (Post) 10-min yellow illumination of the LPBN in VgluT2-ires-Cre mice injected with AAV-DIO-eYFP (e) or AAV-DIO-eNpHR (f) virus. g Representative tracks in the open field test (OFT) before (Pre), during (Light), and after (Post) 5-min yellow laser illumination (589 nm, 1 Hz, 999-ms pulse width, 10 mW) of LPBNVglut2 neurons transfected with DIO-eYFP (upper) or DIO-eNpHR (lower) virus in CPN-ligated VgluT2-ires-Cre mice. h–k Quantification of total distance moved (h, j) and ratio of time spent in the periphery and center (i, k) in the OFT in VgluT2-ires-Cre mice transfected with DIO-eYFP or DIO-eNpHR virus in Sham-operated ((h, i) and CPN-ligated (j, k) mice. All data are presented as mean ± s.e.m. and error bars represent s.e.m. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ****P < 0.0001. See also Supplementary Table 1 for further statistical information. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.