Prevention of demasculinization and feminization of the brain in prenatally stressed male rats by perinatal androgen treatment.

Female rats were exposed to immobilization and illumination stress from day 15-22 of pregnancy. Their male offspring showed demasculinization, i.e. significantly decreased male sexual behaviour, and feminization, i.e. significantly increased female sexual behaviour, in adulthood. This permanent demasculinization and feminization of the brain, induced by prenatal stress, could be prevented by perinatal androgen treatment.