Pokemon Leaves Traces in the Brain

Brain regions of two adults compared: on the left that of a non-Pokemon player, on the right that of a Pokemon player. Colored red is the Occipitotemporale Sulcus, the area that shows the reaction to Pokemon images. Image rights: Jesse Gomez How does the brain learn where it stores what information? Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle: Those who now only understand the train station have not grown up with Pokémon, the pocket monsters. In case someone wondered if these beings with the miraculous names left their mark on children's heads - researchers have found out. In 1996, children immersed themselves in a completely new world of characters: Pokémon! Curious, spherical, angular figures with even stranger names populated playing cards and gameboys, an infinite number of children squatted for hours on the same handy mini toys and playing cards. For all parents who were frowning at the time, "What are these animal-like creatures, these pocke...