An evening cup of coffee may not only invigorate us, but also make us more impulsive — especially women. This was reported by biologists from the University of Texas at El Paso, who conducted a series of experiments on fruit flies. The results were published in the journal iScience.
Scientists studied the effects of caffeine on the behavior of fruit flies depending on the time of day and sex. The subjects were given caffeine at different times, after which the researchers tested how well the insects could suppress an impulsive response – for example, stop moving in the presence of strong air currents.
It turned out that nighttime caffeine consumption significantly reduced self-control in flies, causing “risky behavior” – despite unpleasant conditions, they continued to move actively. Interestingly, daytime caffeine did not have this effect.
Moreover, females were more sensitive to nighttime coffee, even though their caffeine levels were the same as males, suggesting that the response to caffeine may be genetic or physiological, rather than just hormonal.
The authors believe the findings may also be relevant to people, especially those who work night shifts or drink coffee before bed. Women may be at increased risk, as their response to caffeine at night may be more pronounced.
An evening cup of coffee may not only invigorate us, but also make us more impulsive — especially women. This was reported by biologists from the University of Texas at El Paso, who conducted a series of experiments on fruit flies. The results were published in the journal iScience.
Scientists studied the effects of caffeine on the behavior of fruit flies depending on the time of day and sex. The subjects were given caffeine at different times, after which the researchers tested how well the insects could suppress an impulsive response – for example, stop moving in the presence of strong air currents.
It turned out that nighttime caffeine consumption significantly reduced self-control in flies, causing “risky behavior” – despite unpleasant conditions, they continued to move actively. Interestingly, daytime caffeine did not have this effect.
Moreover, females were more sensitive to nighttime coffee, even though their caffeine levels were the same as males, suggesting that the response to caffeine may be genetic or physiological, rather than just hormonal.
The authors believe the findings may also be relevant to people, especially those who work night shifts or drink coffee before bed. Women may be at increased risk, as their response to caffeine at night may be more pronounced.
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