Antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like activity of magnesium in mice

• Published in: Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior Vol. 78; no. 1; pp. 7 - 12
• Main Authors: Poleszak, Ewa, Szewczyk, Bernadeta, Kędzierska, Ewa, Wlaź, Piotr, Pilc, Andrzej, Nowak, Gabriel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.05.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Anxiety Agents - therapeutic use; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Anxiety - drug therapy; Anxiety - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Elevated plus-maze; Forced swim test; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Locomotor activity; Magnesium; Magnesium - pharmacology; Magnesium - therapeutic use; Male; Maze Learning - drug effects; Maze Learning - physiology; Medical sciences; Mice; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Mice; Forced swim test; Magnesium; Elevated plus-maze; Locomotor activity; Rodentia; Inorganic element; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Tranquillizer; Mouse; Animal; Antidepressant agent
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2004.01.006
• ISSN: 0091-3057

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.