Possible role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa

Table 2 Transplantation of normal gut microbiota renders germ-free (GF) mice less active and anxious

Parent GF mice were transplanted with feces of SPF mice, and their offspring were used as EX-GF mice, as previously described [35]. GF and EX-GF mice at 7, 10 and 16 wks of age were subjected to the open-field test (OPT) and marble-burying test (MBT). The total distance traveled for 30 min (DT30; meter) was automatically calculated as spontaneous locomotor activity. The number of marbles buried for 30 min (NBM) was counted as a parameter of anxiety-like behavior. All data are expressed as mean ± SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001 (significantly different from the corresponding GF value)

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