Cannabis during pregnancy: A way to transfer an impairment to later life

Abstract

AbstractEpidemiological studies examining the influence of cannabis across the lifespan show that exposure to cannabis during gestation or during the perinatal period is associated with later‐life mental health issues that manifest during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The risk of later‐life negative outcomes following early exposure is particularly high in persons who have specific genetic variants, implying that cannabis usage interacts with genetics to heighten mental health risks. Prenatal and perinatal exposure to psychoactive components has been shown in animal research to be associated with long‐term effects on neural systems relevant to psychiatric and substance use disorders. The long‐term molecular, epigenetic, electrophysiological, and behavioral consequences of prenatal and perinatal exposure to cannabis are discussed in this article. Animal and human studies, as well as in vivo neuroimaging methods, are used to provide insights into the changes induced in the brain by cannabis. Here, based on the literature from both animal models and humans, it can be concluded that prenatal cannabis exposure alters the developmental route of several neuronal regions with correlated functional consequences evidenced as changes in social behavior and executive functions throughout life.