Adrenal disruption of maternal behavior in the Caesarean-sectioned rat

Female rats subjected both to Caesarean section and intraperitoneal injections of saline either failed to behave maternally or showed abnormally long latencies to the onset of this behavior. This interference with the initiation of pup care was reversed either by adrenalectomy or the injection of dexamethasone, indicating adrenal mediation. Radioimmunossay of plasma progesterone revealed that progesterone was not the adrenal agent involved in the observed behavioral disruption.