Experiment 4

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF

HYPERINSULINISM IN GOLDFISH
HORMONES
- chemical substance produced in the body
-controls and regulates growth, metabolism (the
physical and chemical processes of the body), and
sexual development and function.

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
- made up of glands that produce and secrete
hormones
-regulate the activity of cells or organs

INSULIN MOUTH GAPING

-hormone -indication of PECTORAL FIN MOVEMENT
metabolism -arms of fish
-produced in the beta cells of pancreas by the islets of -as metabolism -balance, directional
Langerhans increases, mouth OPERCULUM MOVEMENT movements, maintenance of
gaping increases position
-signify 02 consumption
-regulates the amount of glucose in the blood -increased operculum movement is -signify overall physical state
associated with decreased 02
-attempt to increase flow of water
SUCROSE through gills to increase 02
-carbohydrate
-disaccharide
-glucose + fructose I. Normal Behavior Pattern in Goldfish
- provides body with the energy required to perform
BEAKER 1
physical and mental functions.
1. Room Temp Water
Sucrose broken down into glucose and fructose
(1-1.5cm)
Glucose enters the pathway directly converted to
2. Rest fish 2 mins
glucose-6-phosphate  glycolysis  ATP production.
3. Observe
Fructoseconverted to glycogen.
Results
BEAKER 1 BEAKER 2
-indicate the goldfish’ normal behavioral pattern
1. Room Temp Water 1. Cold Temp Water (1- -guide or “control” for further exposure of the fish in
different environments.
(1-1.5cm) 1.5cm)

2. Rest fish 2 mins 2. Rest Fish 2 mins II. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin
1. Add 1 mL insulin
3. Observe 3. Observe
2. Wait 2 mins
4. Add 1 mL insulin 4. Add 1 mL insulin
3. Observe
5. Wait 2 mins 5. Wait 2 mins
RESULTS
6. Observe 6. Observe -faster movement after adding insulin
-indicates that with the increased levels of insulin, there
7. Add 50 mL Sucrose 7. Add 50 mL Sucrose is increase in metabolism (evidenced by increased
mouth gaping).
8. Wait 2 mins 8. Wait 2 mins -increase in metabolism requires an increase in oxygen
consumption. Increased operculum movement is a
9. Observe 9. Observe compensatory mechanism in order to increase oxygen
level as needed.

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-increase in pectoral fin movement enables the fish to -effect of sucrose in a cold environment is slow.
maintain its balance, upright position, and direction of -Cold temperature affects sucrose
movement. -In fish, slow manner.

1. Add 50 mL Sucrose ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:

1. Why is it important to have multiple observations of
2. Wait 2 mins the same fish that you average?
Multiple observations are necessary to obtain
3. Observe accurate results and precise pattern recorded all
throughout the experiment.

RESULTS 2. What conclusion can you draw from your results

-decline in the behavior of the fish. about the action that insulin has on each of the
-with increased levels of glucose, it counteracted the behaviors recorded in the fish?
effects of insulin.  In Part II. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin,
-indicates decreased metabolism, thus a decrease in there was an overall increase in the activity of the fish.
oxygen consumption but there was increased and This indicates that with increased levels of insulin, there
stabilized movement of the fish. is also an increase in the metabolism evidenced by the
increase in mouth gaping. Having an increase in
III. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin and metabolism will require an increase in oxygen
Cold consumption. Increased operculum movement is a
1. Cold Temp Water (1- compensatory mechanism in order for the fish to
1.5cm) increase its oxygen level as needed. Furthermore, with
the increase in the pectoral fin movement of the fish, it
2. Rest Fish 2 mins
tries to maintain its balance, upright position and
direction of movement.
3. Observe
In Part III. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin
RESULTS and Cold, the fish had a slightly declined activity. In
- fish in a cold environment exhibited an overall decline contrast to Part II wherein the effect of insulin is rapid,
in activity in this set up, the effect of insulin is slow. Therefore, the
-cold temperature leads to a decrease in metabolism effect of insulin in a cold environment is minimized,
and oxygen consumption as well as the physical health thus hypoglycaemia manifests in a much slower pace.
of the fish.
3. To generalize, what can you say about the overall
behavior of the fish in each of the 3 experiments? How
1. Add 1 mL insulin
can you compare and contrast them?
2. Wait 2 mins The highest activity of the fish was observed in Part
II (room temperature), second in Part I (Control) and
3. Observe lastly, Part III (cold environment). There are 3 distinct
behavioral patterns that we have observed and
RESULTS compared to each of the experiment parts – mouth
-declined activity. gaping, operculum movement, and pectoral fin
-effect of insulin is rapidslower activity movement. Given these criteria, we are able to compare
-effect of insulin to the fish exposed in a cold and contrast the results given the different mediums
environment is minimized. like the room temperature environment without insulin
nor sucrose, room temperature with insulin and
1. Add 50 mL Sucrose sucrose and cold environment with insulin and sucrose.

2. Wait 2 mins 4. How has cold altered the effect of insulin on the fish?
How has cold altered the effect to the recovery of the
3. Observe fish?
In a normal body or room temperature, insulin effect
RESULTS is rapid because too much insulin in the body will cause
-increase in activity the glucose levels to fall below normal leading to

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hypoglycaemia whereas in a cold environment, the
effect of insulin is slower or minimized thus the effect
of hypoglycaemia is also slower.

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