The role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1A receptor activity in prenatal ischemia was studied, by injecting 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetraline (8-OH-DPAT; 50μg/kg, s.c.), a 5-HT1A agonist on gestation day 17, and 30 min later inducing transient ischemia by ligating the uterine vessels for 30 min. On postnatal day 95, rats that had experienced prenatal ischemia showed impaired motor coordination and reduced concentration of 5-HT in the cerebellum compared with Sham-operated controls. In addition, they showed increased 5-HT1A receptor densities in the cerebral cortex. Pretreatment with 8-OH-DPAT ameliorated the behavioral and neurochemical sequelae measured in the present study. The results suggest that 5-HT1A receptors protect the brain from ischemic insult and/or facilitate recovery after prenatally experienced ischemia.