The hypomagnesemia and zinc deficiency associated with chronic alcoholism may exacerbate the neurotoxicity that is mediated by NMDA receptor because both magnesium and zinc are negative modulators of NMDA receptor func- tion (60). However, magnesium supplementation does not reduce withdrawal sever-
Alcohol-Related Seizures in the ICU 247
ity or the likelihood of seizures or delirium (46). The clinical relevance of the deranged zinc metabolism is uncertain (62).
So what does?