The effects of prenatal psychological stress on the sexual behavior and reactivity of male rats.

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 behavior and emotional reactivity of male offspring. Deficits observed during short term tests of breeding effectiveness appear to be reversible under optimal conditions.