Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, enlisted 21 students to read the novel Pompeii by bestselling author Robert Harris over 19 consecutive days while monitoring their brains, Xinhua reported.

The areas of the brain most affected were those which controlled the left temporal cortex influencing receptivity to language, they found.

The results published in journal Brain Connectivity showed that changes  in brain functions stayed with the individuals for at least five days after they finished reading.

A powerful story has the ability to create a "muscle memory" in the brain, meaning that the reader may start to mimic a character's actions or life choices, the researchers said.

Neuroscientist Gregory Berns said: "Stories shape our lives and in some cases help define a person. Favorite novels could certainly have a bigger and longer-lasting effect on the  biology of our brains."

Source: APP