title: Dietary magnesium deficiency affects gut microbiota and anxiety-like behaviour in C57BL/6N mice.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnesium deficiency altered behavior. The duration of magnesium deficiency is suggested to influence behaviour in the evaluated test.
authors.affiliation: 1Section of Experimental Animal Models,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pyndt Jørgensen
authors.affiliation: 2Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit,Department of Clinical Medicine,Aarhus University,Risskov,Denmark.
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Winther
authors.affiliation: 1Section of Experimental Animal Models,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kihl
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science,University of Copenhagen,Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
authors.forename: Dennis S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: 2Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit,Department of Clinical Medicine,Aarhus University,Risskov,Denmark.
authors.forename: Gregers
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wegener
authors.affiliation: 1Section of Experimental Animal Models,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
authors.forename: Axel K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: 1Section of Experimental Animal Models,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
authors.forename: Dorte B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Sørensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000502:physiology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium
keywords: animal models; anxiety; gut microbiota; magnesium