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The Role of Magnesium in Pathophysiology and Migraine Treatment

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Abstract

Migraine is one of the most common recurrent types of headache and is the seventh cause of disability. This neurological disorder is characterized by having pain in head and other various symptoms such as nausea, emesis, photophobia, phonophobia, and sometimes visual sensory disorders. Magnesium (Mg) is a necessary ion for human body and has a crucial role in health and life maintenance. One of the main roles of Mg is to conserve neurons electric potential. Therefore, magnesium deficiency can cause neurological complications. Migraine is usually related to low amounts of Mg in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Deficits in magnesium have significant role in the pathogenesis of migraine. Mg has been extensively used in migraine prophylaxis and treatment. This review summarizes the role of Mg in migraine pathogenesis and the potential utilizations of Mg in the prevention and treatment of migraine with the emphasis on transdermal magnesium delivery.

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Acknowledgments

We would also like to show our gratitude to the Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for supporting this work.

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  1. Sanam Dolati and Reza Rikhtegar contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Sanam Dolati & Reza Rikhtegar

  2. Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Sanam Dolati & Mehdi Yousefi

  3. Student’s Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Sanam Dolati

  4. Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Amir Mehdizadeh & Mehdi Yousefi

  5. Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Mehdi Yousefi

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  1. Sanam Dolati
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Sanam Dolati wrote the manuscript and edited the final version of the manuscript. Reza Rikhtegar designed and wrote manuscript. Amir Mehdizadeh drew the table and submitted the paper. Mehdi Yousefi supervised the study and correspondence during the paper submission.

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Dolati, S., Rikhtegar, R., Mehdizadeh, A. et al. The Role of Magnesium in Pathophysiology and Migraine Treatment. Biol Trace Elem Res 196, 375–383 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-01931-z

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