BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- In order to see how memory is formed, scientists have implanted a small semiconductor camera inside the hippocampus of a mouse's brain, in an experiment they hope to some day apply to humans to treat illnesses, media reported Thursday.

    "The camera is 3 mm (0.1 inch) long, 2.3 mm wide and 2.4 mm in depth," said Jun Ohta, professor at Nara Institute of Science and Technology in western Japan.

    The researchers injected the mouse with a substance that lights up whenever there is brain activity. The camera then captures that light and the visuals come up on a screen.

    "We are thinking about how to apply this to humans, though we must be very careful, as it involves implanting something into the brain," Ohta said. "It would take 10 years at the earliest."

    The researchers hope the study will lead to new ways to treat Parkinson's disease, as they aim to have the camera track brain activity that trigger symptoms such as tremors.

    (Agencies)