Prenatal progesterone exposure linked to anxiety and depression-like behavior in adult male and female rats, related to stress hormones and hormone receptors in the brain

Prenatal exposure to progesterone at low and high doses (10 and 50 mg/kg) induces anxiogenic and depressive-like effects in adult rat offspring.

• Behavioral tests revealed increased anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in both male and female offspring exposed to prenatal progesterone.
• Elevated plasma and hippocampal corticosterone levels were observed in adult offspring following prenatal progesterone treatment.
• Increased expression of progesterone receptors was measured in the hippocampus of both sexes after prenatal exposure to progesterone.
• These findings suggest that prenatal exposure to progesterone may lead to long-term emotional disturbances linked to hormonal changes.

Simplified