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 MOUTH GAPING

- made up of glands that produce and secrete -indication of PECTORAL FIN MOVEMENT
metabolism -arms of fish
hormones -as metabolism -balance, directional
-regulate the activity of cells or organs increases, mouth
OPERCULUM MOVEMENT movements, maintenance of
gaping increases position
-signify 02 consumption
-increased operculum movement -signify overall physical state
INSULIN is associated with decreased 02
-hormone -attempt to increase flow of water
through gills to increase 02
-produced in the beta cells of pancreas by the islets of
Langerhans
-regulates the amount of glucose in the blood I. Normal Behavior Pattern in Goldfish

SUCROSE BEAKER 1
-carbohydrate
-disaccharide 1. Room Temp Water (1-
-glucose + fructose 1.5cm)
- provides body with the energy required to perform
physical and mental functions. 2. Rest fish 2 mins

Sucrose→ broken down into glucose and fructose→ 3. Observe

Glucose enters the pathway directly→ converted to Results

glucose-6-phosphate → glycolysis → ATP production. -indicate the goldfish’ normal behavioral pattern
-guide or “control” for further exposure of the fish in
Fructose→converted to glycogen. different environments.

BEAKER 1 BEAKER 2 II. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin

1. Add 1 mL insulin
1. Room Temp Water (1- 1. Cold Temp Water (1-
1.5cm) 1.5cm) 2. Wait 2 mins

2. Rest fish 2 mins 2. Rest Fish 2 mins 3. Observe

3. Observe 3. Observe RESULTS

-faster movement after adding insulin
4. Add 1 mL insulin 4. Add 1 mL insulin -indicates that with the increased levels of insulin,
there is increase in metabolism (evidenced by
5. Wait 2 mins 5. Wait 2 mins increased mouth gaping).
-increase in metabolism requires an increase in oxygen
6. Observe 6. Observe consumption. Increased operculum movement is a
compensatory mechanism in order to increase oxygen
7. Add 50 mL Sucrose 7. Add 50 mL Sucrose level as needed.
-increase in pectoral fin movement enables the fish to
8. Wait 2 mins 8. Wait 2 mins maintain its balance, upright position, and direction of
movement.
9. Observe 9. Observe
1. Add 50 mL Sucrose

2. Wait 2 mins

3. Observe

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 This indicates that with increased levels of insulin, there
RESULTS is also an increase in the metabolism evidenced by the
-decline in the behavior of the fish. increase in mouth gaping. Having an increase in
-with increased levels of glucose, it counteracted the metabolism will require an increase in oxygen
effects of insulin. consumption. Increased operculum movement is a
-indicates decreased metabolism, thus a decrease in compensatory mechanism in order for the fish to
oxygen consumption but there was increased and increase its oxygen level as needed. Furthermore, with
stabilized movement of the fish. the increase in the pectoral fin movement of the fish, it
tries to maintain its balance, upright position and
III. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin and Cold direction of movement.
1. Cold Temp Water (1- →In Part III. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin
1.5cm) and Cold, the fish had a slightly declined activity. In
contrast to Part II wherein the effect of insulin is rapid,
2. Rest Fish 2 mins in this set up, the effect of insulin is slow. Therefore, the
effect of insulin in a cold environment is minimized, thus
3. Observe hypoglycaemia manifests in a much slower pace.

RESULTS 3. To generalize, what can you say about the overall

- fish in a cold environment exhibited an overall decline behavior of the fish in each of the 3 experiments? How
in activity can you compare and contrast them?
-cold temperature leads to a decrease in metabolism →The highest activity of the fish was observed in Part II
and oxygen consumption as well as the physical health (room temperature), second in Part I (Control) and
of the fish. lastly, Part III (cold environment). There are 3 distinct
behavioral patterns that we have observed and
1. Add 1 mL insulin compared to each of the experiment parts – mouth
gaping, operculum movement, and pectoral fin
2. Wait 2 mins movement. Given these criteria, we are able to compare
and contrast the results given the different mediums
3. Observe like the room temperature environment without insulin
nor sucrose, room temperature with insulin and
RESULTS sucrose and cold environment with insulin and sucrose.
-declined activity.
-effect of insulin is rapid→slower activity 4. How has cold altered the effect of insulin on the fish?
-effect of insulin to the fish exposed in a cold How has cold altered the effect to the recovery of the
environment is minimized. fish?
→In a normal body or room temperature, insulin effect
1. Add 50 mL Sucrose is rapid because too much insulin in the body will cause
the glucose levels to fall below normal leading to
2. Wait 2 mins hypoglycaemia whereas in a cold environment, the
effect of insulin is slower or minimized thus the effect of
3. Observe hypoglycaemia is also slower.

RESULTS
-increase in activity
-effect of sucrose in a cold environment is slow.
-Cold temperature affects sucrose
-In fish, slow manner.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:
1. Why is it important to have multiple observations of
the same fish that you average?
→Multiple observations are necessary to obtain
accurate results and precise pattern recorded all
throughout the experiment.

2. What conclusion can you draw from your results

about the action that insulin has on each of the
behaviors recorded in the fish?
→ In Part II. Behavior of the Goldfish Exposed to Insulin,
there was an overall increase in the activity of the fish.

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