Effect of prenatal stress and gonadal hormone condition on depressive behaviors of female and male rats

Whether prenatal stress (PNS) and gonadal hormones may influence depressive behavior of rats in the forced swim test was investigated. In Experiment I, adult diestrous female rats had increased immobility, which is indicative of depression, but did not show any significant difference in the duration of struggling compared to intact adult males. In Experiment 2, the behavior of adult intact, castrated, or castrated dihydrotestosterone (DHT)- or estrogen (E-2)-replaced offspring of dams that were restrained under lights for 45 min on gestational day 18 (PNS) or were not subjected to gestational stress (non-PNS, control condition) were compared. There were no effects of PNS, but DHT and E-2 produced anti-depressant effects on behavior of male rats. Castration decreased struggling and increased immobility compared to intact rats. DHT or E-2 replacement was able to partially reinstate struggling and immobility behavior but not to levels of intact males. In Experiment 3, behavior of PNS or control rats that were in proestrus or were ovariectornized and DHT, E-2, or vehicle-replaced were compared. Ovariectomy decreased struggling and increased immobility compared to that of proestrous rats. E-2 or DHT to control females increased anti-depressant struggling behavior compared to ovariectomized control or PNS rats administered vehicle, which demonstrated greater duration of struggling than did E-2-primed. PNS rats. E-2 or DHT administration decreased immobility of PNS and control females. These findings suggest that E-2 and DHT have some anti-depressant effects but that modest PNS may alter E-2's ability to alleviate some depressive behavior in female, but not male rats. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.