Dietary magnesium deficiency affects gut microbiota and anxiety-like behaviour in C57BL/6N mice

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dietary magnesium deficiency affects gut microbiota and anxiety-like behaviour in C57BL/6N mice

AU - Jørgensen, Bettina Merete Pyndt

AU - Winther, Gudrun

AU - Kihl, Pernille

AU - Nielsen, Dennis Sandris

AU - Wegener, Gregers

AU - Hansen, Axel Kornerup

AU - Sørensen, Dorte Bratbo

PY - 2015/3/16

Y1 - 2015/3/16

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Magnesium deficiency has been associated with anxiety in humans, and rodent studies have demonstrated the gut microbiota to impact behaviour.METHODS: We investigated the impact of 6 weeks of dietary magnesium deficiency on gut microbiota composition and anxiety-like behaviour and whether there was a link between the two. A total of 20 C57BL/6 mice, fed either a standard diet or a magnesium-deficient diet for 6 weeks, were tested using the light-dark box anxiety test. Gut microbiota composition was analysed by denaturation gradient gel electrophoresis.RESULTS: We demonstrated that the gut microbiota composition correlated significantly with the behaviour of dietary unchallenged mice. A magnesium-deficient diet altered the gut microbiota, and was associated with altered anxiety-like behaviour, measured by decreased latency to enter the light box.CONCLUSION: Magnesium deficiency altered behavior. The duration of magnesium deficiency is suggested to influence behaviour in the evaluated test.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Magnesium deficiency has been associated with anxiety in humans, and rodent studies have demonstrated the gut microbiota to impact behaviour.METHODS: We investigated the impact of 6 weeks of dietary magnesium deficiency on gut microbiota composition and anxiety-like behaviour and whether there was a link between the two. A total of 20 C57BL/6 mice, fed either a standard diet or a magnesium-deficient diet for 6 weeks, were tested using the light-dark box anxiety test. Gut microbiota composition was analysed by denaturation gradient gel electrophoresis.RESULTS: We demonstrated that the gut microbiota composition correlated significantly with the behaviour of dietary unchallenged mice. A magnesium-deficient diet altered the gut microbiota, and was associated with altered anxiety-like behaviour, measured by decreased latency to enter the light box.CONCLUSION: Magnesium deficiency altered behavior. The duration of magnesium deficiency is suggested to influence behaviour in the evaluated test.

KW - Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

KW - animal models

KW - anxiety

KW - gut microbiota

KW - magnesium

U2 - 10.1017/neu.2015.10

DO - 10.1017/neu.2015.10

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25773775

SN - 0924-2708

VL - 27

SP - 307

EP - 311

JO - Acta Neuropsychiatrica (Print)

JF - Acta Neuropsychiatrica (Print)

IS - 5

ER -