Cannabis and the developing brain: Insights into its long-lasting effects

Yasmin L. Hurd, Olivier J. Manzoni, Mikhail V. Pletnikov, Francis S. Lee, Sagnik Bhattacharyya, Miriam Melis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

The recent shift in sociopolitical debates and growing liberalization of cannabis use across the globe has raised concern regarding its impact on vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and adolescents. Epidemiological studies have long demonstrated a relationship between developmental cannabis exposure and later mental health symptoms. This relationship is especially strong in people with particular genetic polymorphisms, suggesting that cannabis use interacts with genotype to increase mental health risk. Seminal animal research directly linked prenatal and adolescent exposureto delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol,the major psychoactive component of cannabis, with protracted effects on adult neural systems relevant to psychiatric and substance use disorders. In this article, we discuss some recent advances in understanding the long-term molecular, epigenetic, electrophysiological, and behavioral consequences of prenatal, perinatal, and adolescent exposure to cannabis/delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Insights are provided from both animal and human studies, including in vivo neuroimaging strategies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)8250-8258
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Neuroscience
Volume39
Issue number42
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 16 2019

Keywords

  • Adolescence
  • Cannabis
  • Cognition
  • Perinatal
  • Psychiatric Disorders
  • Reward

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cannabis and the developing brain: Insights into its long-lasting effects'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this