Chronic changes in the brain Mg2+ concentration after forebrain ischemia in the rat

Brain Mg2+ ion concentrations, [Mg2+], were evaluated in three groups of animals subjected to either 8 minutes (n = 10), or 12 minutes (n = 10) of near-complete forebrain ischemia, or sham operation (n = 10), from their 31P NMR spectra. No significant differences were observed in [Mg2+] among sham operated animals prior to or at any time point after surgery. In the 8-min ischemia group, mean [Mg2+] were significantly lower at 48 (0.28 +/- 0.06 mM, p = 0.014) and 72 (0.29 +/- 0.07 mM, p = 0.005) hours post-ischemia when compared to their mean pre-ischemia levels (0.39 +/- 0.08 mM). [Mg2+] was restored to pre-ischemia values at 96 hours after induction of ischemia. In the 12 min ischemia group, [Mg2+] were lower at all time points post-ischemia when compared to their pre-ischemia levels. Our data shows that forebrain ischemia causes a chronic decline of cerebral Mg2+ concentration, and the observed reduction of this cation can be partially attributed to concurrent brain tissue alkalosis.