Caffeine affects the vigilance decrement of Trite planiceps jumping spiders (Salticidae).

Abstract

Simon spiders were randomly given a drop of either caffeinated water or distilled water and were then shown dot stimuli presented on monitors. We measured both general "walking," or activity, as a control for physical fatigue, and optomotor responses to the stimuli. We found that the vigilance decrement was significantly shallower (i.e., spiders were more responsive for longer) when spiders were administered caffeine compared with water; furthermore, these spiders were also generally more active throughout the testing period and thus were not physically impaired. Our results suggest that, in at least some invertebrates, CNS modulation of the vigilance decrement is likely. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).