[The anxiety level and synthesis of neurosteroids in the brain of prenatally stressed male rats].

Prenatal stresses significantly reduce the anxiety level and enhance motor activity in mature male rats. An enhancement of the 5 alpha-reductase activity occurs in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and the brain frontal cortx. The data obtained suggest that behavioural changes in mature male rats due to prenatal stresses may be a consequence of an increased forming of active progesterone metabolities in the brain.