Stability of brain content of magnesium in experimental hypomagnesemia.
Magnesium is important in cerebral function. If there is a deficiency and neurological symptoms accrue, we hypothesised that Mg2+ deficiency causes neurological symptoms by decreasing the level of Mg2+ in cerebral tissue. The content of magnesium was determined in 12 brain structures in magnesium-deficient rats. Experiments were carried out for 40 days in two groups of Wistar male rats made magnesium-deficient (MD) by a well-controlled diet (50 mg of Mg2+/kg of food), and a control group (CG) rats fed normal diet (1 g of Mg2+/kg of food). At the end of the 40 days, the clinical signs of hypomagnesemia were sought in the MD rats and Mg2+ concentration levels were measured in the blood and brain. The results showed variable distribution of Mg2+ in the different brain structures, both in CG and MD rats; in the MD rats there is an important stability of global Mg2+ content of the brain. Although the global values for Mg2+ in the brain did not decline in MD rats, there was a significant decrease in Mg2+ in the brainstem. We conclude that the brain is able to maintain a stable concentration of Mg2+ during chronic hypomagnesemia, but its topographic variations could account for some of neurological signs accompanying this condition.
Poenaru
S
S
Service d'Explorations Fonctionnelles, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France.
Manicom
R
R
Rouhani
S
S
Aymard
P
P
Bajenaru
O
O
Rayssiguier
Y
Y
Emmanouillidis
E
E
Gueux
E
E
Nkanga
N
N
Durlach
J
J
Dall'ava
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D008274:Magnesium