ABSTRACT
This chapter explores interesting complex relationship between magnesium and migraine. Migraine is a prevalent public health concern affecting 38 million men, women, and children in the United States and 1 billion individuals worldwide. It is one of the leading causes of disability and has been associated with a significant impairment in quality of life. Migraine is an episodic disorder, the key feature of which is a moderate-to-severe headache generally associated with nausea and/or light and sound sensitivity. It also tends to be familial; the importance of inheritance in migraine has long been recognized. The cause and mechanisms of migraine remain under constant investigation. Several theories have been proposed, including corti cal spreading depression, trigeminovascular system involvement, central sensitization, and the role of serotonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide. A large body of evidence exists on the importance of magnesium as an essential cation in biochemical and physiological processes in the human body.
