ASSESSING A GAP IN THE BIOMEDICAL LITERATURE - MAGNESIUM-DEFICIENCY AND NEUROLOGIC DISEASE

Recent studies have focused great attention upon the role of NMDA rece ptor-mediated excitotoxicity in the pathogenesis of a variety of acute and chronic neurologic diseases, and upon the role of endogenous Mg i ons in regulating this process. Yet, very few studies have sought to a scertain whether exogenous, e.g., dietary, manipulations of Mg levels can modulate brain function or the expression of neurologic diseases ( apart from hyperexcitability and seizures that are elicited directly w hen Mg levels are extremely low). We argue that this issue is importan t, and should be addressed in existing animal models of acute and chro nic CNS insults.