The effects of crowding during pregnancy on offspring emotional and sexual behavior in rats

Abstract

The effects of crowding during pregnancy on offspring behavior were examined by maintaining male and female rats in three different population densities during pregnancy. Pups were fostered to control mothers within 1 day of birth and later tested for open-field behavior, cage emergence, sexual behavior, and fertility . Although offspring of females in the most crowded group were the least likely to emerge from their cages, prenatal crowding did not influence sexual behavior or fertility, thus failing to confirm the hypothesis that prenatal crowding demasculinizes male progeny. Rats which emerged from their cages showed significantly greater open-field activity and sexual behavior than nonemergers.