Prenatal stress increases the behavioral response to serotonin agonists and alters open field behavior in the rat

Female rats were exposed to mild stress throughout pregnancy and the offspring tested at 60 days of age. In an open field test the prenatal stress group showed increased locomotion and increased rearing compared to control rats confirming that the prenatal stress treatment was sufficient to produce persistent behavioural changes in the offspring. The prenatal stress offspring also showed an increased behavioural response to injections of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (wet-dog shakes) and an enhanced 5-HT syndrome following treatment with the 5-HT agonist 5-methoxy-N,N- dimethyltryptamine. These results provide further evidence that maternal stress produces long-lasting changes in the functioning of central 5-HT neurons in the offspring.