Catecholamine and Carbohydrate Concentrations in Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri) in Relation to Physical Disturbance

Abstract

In rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) blood plasma concentrations of adrenaline (AD) and noradrenaline (NAD), and liver and heart concentrations of AD increased in response to severe physical disturbance. Skeletal muscle and anterior kidney concentrations of AD and NAD did not change detectably. Maximum plasma concentrations observed during disturbance of the fish were 0.20–0.36 μg AD and 0.05–0.09 μg NAD/ml. These plasma concentrations decreased relatively rapidly during recovery of the fish.Plasma glucose concentrations increased in response to disturbance, the magnitude and duration of the hyperglycemia being greater in those fish with initially high liver glycogen reserves. Liver glycogen concentrations in those fish with initially high (ca. 7%) concentrations apparently decreased in response to disturbance and increased during recovery of the fish, but no change was detected in liver glycogen concentrations in fish in which they were initially low (ca. 2.5%). Heart and skeletal muscle glycogen concentrations decreased in response to disturbance and increased during recovery.In skeletal muscle, the concentration of adenosine 3′,5′-phosphate and the proportion of phosphorylase in the a form increased in response to disturbance of the fish and decreased thereafter.