Meeting Abstract
Behavior varies amongst all individuals. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that can affect physiological functions such as heart rate, sleep, and mood. Serotonin is a type of neurotransmitter that, in humans, contributes to well-being and happiness. In Latrodectus hesperus, black widow spider, the levels of neurotransmitters have been shown to correlate with their behavior. To better understand if these chemical messengers are the cause of differences in behavior, manipulation of their levels are needed. How will serotonin injections affect aggressiveness in black widow spiders? 60 spiders were used in the experiment and randomly assigned to a treatment group. Treatment groups consisted of CO2 administration, saline injection after CO2 administration, and a serotonin and saline mixed injection after CO2 administration. Each spider was placed onto their web and an aggression assay was performed after 2 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. Aggressiveness was measured by the number of times each spider attacked a vibrator placed on the web. The experiment was given twice. Results show that spiders injected with the serotonin/saline solution after CO2 administration attacked significantly less than the other treatment groups. Higher levels of serotonin will decrease aggressive behavior.
