PMC

Experimental design.

Effects of prenatal group and sex on locomotor activity in the open field. Data represent the total distance traveled (cm) in (A) males and (B) females during a 5-minute testing period across 3 consecutive days of testing. # denotes significantly different from C animals. n’s = 8 to 10 for each condition; p’s < 0.05.

Effects of prenatal group and sex on duration of immobility in the forced swim test. Data represent the time (s) spent immobile in (A) males and (B) females on Day 1 and Day 2. * denotes PAE significantly different from C animals. # denotes PAE and PF significantly different from C animals. & denotes that C males significantly more immobile than C females. n’s = 8 to 10 for each condition; p’s < 0.05.

Effects of prenatal group and sex on plasma corticosterone (ng / ml). Data represent mean basal corticosterone (ng / ml) before (Day 1) and on the last day (Day 10) of CMS exposure in (A) males and (B) females. * denotes significantly different from PF and C animals. # denotes significantly different from PAE and C rats. & denotes significantly different between Days among PAE rats. n’s = 8 to 10 for each condition; p’s < 0.05.

Effects of prenatal group and sex on the duration of behaviors in the social interaction test. Data represent the duration(s) of affiliative and nonaffiliative behaviors among (A) males and (B) females in the first (0 to 5 minutes) and third (11 to 15 minutes) intervals of a 15-minute test. * denotes significantly different from PF and C animals. n’s = 8 to 10 for each condition; p’s < 0.05.

Effects of prenatal group and sex on the frequency of behaviors in the social interaction test. Data represent the frequency of affiliative and nonaffiliative behaviors among (A) males and (B) females in the first (0 to 5 minutes) and third (11 to 15 minutes) intervals of a 15-minute test. & denotes significantly different than affiliative behaviors in the third interval. n’s = 8 to 10 for each condition; p’s < 0.05.

Effects of prenatal group and sex on behavior in the sucrose contrast test. Data represent the amount of sucrose consumed by body weight on Days 4 (“Pre”; 2.1% sucrose concentration) and 5 (“Post”; 15% sucrose concentration) in (A) males and (B) females exposed to chronic mild stress.* denotes a significant difference in consumption across days for all prenatal groups. & denotes significant difference in consumption across days for PF and C. # indicates that precontrast, PAE males consumed significantly more sucrose than PF and C males. n’s = 8 to 10 for each condition; p’s < 0.05.