1976
DOI: 10.1002/dev.420090503
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The effects of prenatal psychological stress on the sexual behavior and reactivity of male rats

Abstract: Male offspring of prenatally stressed rats showed low levels of copulatory behavior during a series of brief tests with estrous females but successfully impregnated female cagemates during long term tests of breeding effectiveness. Sexual performance on the short term tests was inversely related to open field activity with the offspring of prenatally handled mothers exhibiting more sexual behavior and less open field activity. The results support the notion that prenatal stress influences both the sexual behav… Show more

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Cited by 67 publications
(25 citation statements)
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“…Several studies, however, have reported opposite trends-that prenatally treated animals have shorter latencies to enter an anxiogenic area and are more active in a novel situation than untreated controls (Deminiere et al, 1992;Masterspasqua, Chapman, & Lore, 1976). These different results could be attributed to several possible factors, such as the different stress protocols to which the pregnant animals were subjected.…”
Section: Effects Of Prenatal Stress: An Animal Modelmentioning
confidence: 60%
See 1 more Smart Citation
“…Several studies, however, have reported opposite trends-that prenatally treated animals have shorter latencies to enter an anxiogenic area and are more active in a novel situation than untreated controls (Deminiere et al, 1992;Masterspasqua, Chapman, & Lore, 1976). These different results could be attributed to several possible factors, such as the different stress protocols to which the pregnant animals were subjected.…”
Section: Effects Of Prenatal Stress: An Animal Modelmentioning
confidence: 60%
“…Similarly, after food deprivation, the prenatally stressed rats showed a longer latency to leave their cage and to reach food at the end of an alley. In contrast, Masterspasqua et al (1976), using similar methods, found that prenatally stressed rats showed increased exploration in an open field and spent a greater amount of time outside their home cage when allowed to do so. Using a principal-component analysis on three different tests (Y-maze, open field, and elevated plus maze), Vallée, Mayo, Dellu, Le Moal, Simon, & Maccari (1997) found low exploration, but more pronounced escape behavior in rats prenatally stressed by a restraint-and-light procedure compared to that of controls.…”
Section: Effects Of Prenatal Stress: An Animal Modelmentioning
confidence: 84%
“…It has been reported that daily exposure to some stress during pregnancy can cause fetal resorption in rats and may delay behavioral development in the surviving pups (5). Hyperemotionality and hypersensitivity to conflictive stimuli have been described as permanent behavioral consequences of prenatal stress (1,2,(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Regarding humans, prenatal unpredictable stresses can cause neural dysfunctions detectable up to 4 years of age (8).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Ward (1972) reported that prenatal stress induced by physical restraint of the pregnant mother under bright lights decreased male and increased female sexual behavior in male offspring rats. Similarly , Masterpasqua, Chapman , and Lore (1976) found that nonphysical maternal stress induced by the blocking of a previously learned avoidance response reduced male sexual behavior in male rat offspring. Proposing that prenatal stress disrupts the androgen-dependent process of sexual differentiation in male fetuses , Ward suggested that crowding during the prenatal period might serve as a population control mechanism.…”
mentioning
confidence: 89%