JAPANESE researchers have implanted a small camera inside a mouse's brain to see how memory is formed, in an experiment they hope to some day apply to humans to treat illnesses such as Parkinson's disease.

The study, published in the Journal ofNeuroscience Methods and Sensors and Actuators, used a camera 3 mm long, 2.3 mm wide and 2.4 mm in depth, Jun Ohta, professor at Nara Institute of Science and Technology in western Japan, said.

Working with researchers at Kinki University, Mr Ohta implanted the special semiconductor camera inside the hippocampus of the mouse's brain, designing the devise so that a screen showed blue light whenever the camera captured memory being recorded by the brain.

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.

The team now plans to use the camera while the mouse is walking.

"We are thinking about how to apply this to humans, though we must be very careful, as it involves implanting something into the brain,'' Mr 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 tremours.

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Hmm.. my FIL died of complications of Parkinson's, and I have a brother who's mentally and phyiscally disabled due to birth defects. I'm a HUGE animal lover, but I think this is for the greater good, you know?

I mean, come on! We buy leaather goods all the time and don't think of the cow/deer/alligator/ostrich/ect it came from!!

Hehehe... you know, if that mouse was running loose in your kitchen, I bet you'd grab a broom and try to smack him, or at the very least freak a little bit? This mouse is giving his all for science!

Addicted to Tiffany's

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I feel terrible for the mouse, and am personally against animal testing for any reason.

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But do you wear leather? Eat meat? Use chemicals to clean? Animals were all involved in those things. Actually, the growth of man is the worse thing that ever happened to animals, becuase we are the only species that kills for revenge, sport and greed, as well as fashion. I'm not condeming what you said either, I'm just pointing out different sides.

nyan nyan percent

But do you wear leather? Eat meat? Use chemicals to clean? Animals were all involved in those things. Actually, the growth of man is the worse thing that ever happened to animals, becuase we are the only species that kills for revenge, sport and greed, as well as fashion. I'm not condeming what you said either, I'm just pointing out different sides.

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I feel really badly about animal testing, and I try to live my life the most ethically as I can (no excessive leather products - thank you LV !, vegetarian, natural cleaning products, carpooling as much as possible etc).. with that being said, I understand that animal research is often done in order to gain further understanding, I just hope that it's being done in the most ethical way possible in order to minimize the suffering.

I'm possibly coming off as a hypocrite, since any intrusion in an animal's life may cause it unnecessary suffering.. this is just how I feel about it. I wish we could all just sing song and hold hands/paws !

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I feel really badly about animal testing, and I try to live my life the most ethically as I can (no excessive leather products - thank you LV !, vegetarian, natural cleaning products, carpooling as much as possible etc).. with that being said, I understand that animal research is often done in order to gain further understanding, I just hope that it's being done in the most ethical way possible in order to minimize the suffering.

I'm possibly coming off as a hypocrite, since any intrusion in an animal's life may cause it unnecessary suffering.. this is just how I feel about it. I wish we could all just sing song and hold hands/paws !

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LOL! Kumbaya is a great song!!

I would have to think that yes, they treat the mouse as ethically and carefully as they can, since they are recording brain waves, and pain will make the tests useless if the animal is in pain.

I abhor animal testing, especially when it's totally unnessary. One study I read about was testing lipsticks in the eyes of rabbits! I was so ticked off when I read that, WHY did they have to test it in an animals eyes... don't they know what they put in it? I mean, it's stupid... if the ingrediants are known, then the reaction should also been known. Besides, how many women do you know who miss their mouths completely and hit themselves in the eye?

I am pleased Ayla, you do make a concentrated effort to refrain from using animal parts and the like, but we depend on many animals for many things... got leather seats in your car? Leather furniture in your house? Leather in your shoes? Yes, I think we can minimize how much of animal products we use, but we can't completely stop from using some.

New Member

though I do think that it's not too fair for animal testing , but can be there any other way to prove the efficiency of a method of treatment. Though now there're many people are voluntary for human testing, but it'd take such a long time and cost.