title: Antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like activity of magnesium in mice.
abstract: The antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of magnesium, an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor inhibitor, were studied in mice using the forced swim test and elevated plus-maze test, respectively. The doses of 20 and 30 mg Mg/kg, reduced immobility time in the forced swim test exerting antidepressant-like activity. In the elevated plus-maze test, magnesium at the same doses produced anxiolytic-like effect. The doses of magnesium active in both tests did not affect locomotor activity. To evaluate the tolerance to these effects, we also performed experiments on the following acute/chronic magnesium treatment schedule: chronic saline and saline challenge at 0.5 h before behavioral experiments or serum magnesium determination (S+S), chronic saline and magnesium challenge (S+Mg), chronic magnesium and saline challenge (Mg+S), chronic magnesium and magnesium challenge (Mg+Mg). The antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effect of magnesium was demonstrated in groups treated acutely and chronically with magnesium (Mg+Mg), but not in the Mg+S group. Moreover, these effects seem to be connected with at least 58% increase in serum magnesium concentration. The results indicate that magnesium induces the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects without tolerance to these activities, which suggests a potential antidepressant and anxiolytic activity of magnesium in these disorders in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University School, Staszica 4, PL 20-081 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poleszak
authors.forename: Bernadeta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szewczyk
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kedzierska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wlaź
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilc
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nowak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D008274:Magnesium