Effect of Fetal Irradiation on Mating Activity in Male Rats

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
"Mating activity of male albino rats irradiated between the 17th and 22nd day of gestation was measured 12 times during 4-min. tests in observation cages, and also for a 20-day period in the animals'' home cages. In the 4-min. test, minimal mating activity occurred in the 18-, 19-, and 20-day animals while testes weights were the lowest in 19-, 20-, 21-, and 22-day groups. Over-all frequency of copulation plugs in the irradiated groups was not less than for the controls but the initial appearance of copulation plugs paralleled the frequency of mating activity in the 4-min. test. A previously proposed hypothesis that "fearfulness" contributed to the decreased mating activity in fetally irradiated rats is supported.".