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Published on: June 2, 2014
Magnesium content of mononuclear blood cells in migraine patients
V Gallai1, P Sarchielli, P Morucci
1Interuniversity Center for the Study of Headache and Neurotransmitter Disorders, Perugia, Italy.
Abstract:
Recent research has shown that magnesium levels in serum, salivary secretions and red blood cells are reduced in migraine patients with and without aura, both ictally and interictally. This suggests that lower magnesium levels can contribute to the etiopathogenetic mechanisms underlying migraine attacks. It has been suggested that mononuclear magnesium content is a reliable index of magnesium nutritional status, as it is more closely related to the total body stores than other biochemical indices. Therefore we determined mononuclear magnesium content in adult migraine patients with and without aura, in headache-free periods and, in a number of patients, during attacks. Migraine patients with and without aura, assessed in interictal periods, had a reduced mononuclear magnesium content compared to age-matched healthy control subjects. No significant variations were observed between ictal and interictal periods in migraine patients with aura and without aura. The lower magnesium content in mononuclear cells could indirectly indicate the reduction of brain magnesium concentration, which has recently been demonstrated in the course of migraine.
Insights
Migraine patients exhibit lower magnesium levels in mononuclear cells, indicating a potential link between magnesium deficiency and migraine pathogenesis. This finding holds true for both migraine with and without aura, during and between attacks.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biochemistry
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Previous studies indicate reduced serum, salivary, and red blood cell magnesium in migraine patients.
- Lower magnesium levels are hypothesized to contribute to the underlying mechanisms of migraine attacks.
- Mononuclear magnesium content is considered a reliable indicator of overall magnesium nutritional status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mononuclear magnesium content in adult migraine patients (with and without aura) during interictal periods.
- To compare mononuclear magnesium levels between migraine patients and age-matched healthy controls.
- To assess variations in mononuclear magnesium content during migraine attacks versus headache-free periods.
Main Methods:
- Determination of mononuclear magnesium content in adult migraine patients (with and without aura) and healthy controls.
- Assessment of magnesium levels during interictal periods and, in a subset of patients, during ictal periods.
- Comparison of mononuclear magnesium levels across different patient groups and headache phases.
Main Results:
- Migraine patients, irrespective of aura presence, showed significantly reduced mononuclear magnesium content compared to controls during interictal periods.
- No significant differences in mononuclear magnesium content were found between ictal and interictal periods within migraine groups.
- The observed reduction in mononuclear magnesium may reflect decreased brain magnesium concentration in migraineurs.
Conclusions:
- Reduced mononuclear magnesium content is a characteristic finding in migraine patients, suggesting a role for magnesium deficiency in migraine pathophysiology.
- Mononuclear cells serve as a valuable biomarker for assessing magnesium status in the context of migraine.
- These findings support the hypothesis that altered brain magnesium levels contribute to migraine development and persistence.
