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Di Bartolomeo M, Čerňanová A, Petrušová V, Di Martino S, Hodosy J, Drago F, Micale V, D'Addario C. DNA methylation at cannabinoid type 1 and dopamine D2 receptor genes in saliva samples of psychotic subjects: Is there an effect of Cannabis use? Pharmacol Res 2024; 208:107343. [PMID: 39127265 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Psychosis is a characterizing feature of many mental disorders that dramatically affects human thoughts and perceptions, influencing the ability to distinguish between what is real and what is not. Both genetic and environmental factors, such as stressful events or drug use, play a pivotal role in the development of symptomatology and therefore changes in the epigenome may be of relevance in modeling a psychotic phenotype. According to the well-documented dysregulation of endocannabinoid and dopaminergic system genes in schizophrenia, we investigated DNA methylation cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CNR1) and dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) genes in saliva samples from psychotic subjects using pyrosequencing. The epigenetic mark was significantly higher and directly correlated for both genes in psychotic subjects compared to healthy controls. We also showed that these DNA methylation levels were lower in psychotic subjects reporting current delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) consumption, a well-known risk factor for developing psychosis throughout the lifespan, resembling those of controls at least for the DRD2 gene. Overall, our data confirm the key role of CNR1 and DRD2 gene regulation in psychosis and suggest DNA methylation levels at specific CpG sites as potential biomarkers, but just in those psychotic subjects not consuming THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo 64100, Italy.
| | - Andrea Čerňanová
- Psychiatric Department SMU, Slovak Medical University and University Hospital Bratislava, Ružinov, Bratislava 82101, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Petrušová
- Psychiatric Department SMU, Slovak Medical University and University Hospital Bratislava, Ružinov, Bratislava 82101, Slovakia
| | - Serena Di Martino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Július Hodosy
- Emergency Department, University Hospital Bratislava, Ružinov, Bratislava 82101, Slovakia; Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava 81372, Slovakia
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Micale
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo 64100, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden.
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David AT, Sharma V, Bittencourt L, Gurka KK, Perez-Carreño JG, Lopez-Quintero C. Exploring the associations between serious psychological distress and the quantity or frequency of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use among pregnant women in the United States. Prev Med 2023; 177:107770. [PMID: 37951544 PMCID: PMC11099898 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Serious Psychological Distress (SPD) and prenatal exposure to substances are associated with adverse outcomes for pregnant individuals and their developing offspring. This study aims to examine the relationship between SPD and quantity, or frequency of substance use among pregnant women in the United States (US). Descriptive and negative binomial regression analyses of the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were conducted among 3373 pregnant women (18 to 44 years old) to examine the association between SPD and (1) average number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days, (2) number of days of binge drinking in the past 30 days, and (3) number of days of cannabis use in the past 30 days. About 6% of the study population experienced SPD in the past 30 days. Compared to pregnant women who did not report SPD, pregnant women experiencing SPD showed greater rates in the number of cigarettes smoked during the past 30 days (IRR = 2.1, 95%CI = 1.1, 4.5), the number of days of binge drinking in the past 30 days (IRR = 5.1, 95%CI = 1.7, 15.4), and the number of days of cannabis use in the past 30 days (IRR = 2.9, 95%CI = 1.3, 6.5). Our results extend findings from prior research by documenting an association between SPD and the quantity and frequency of substance use among pregnant women in the US. Individual and structural interventions addressing SPD and/or substance might help reduce the impact of these comorbid conditions on expectant parents and their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayomide T David
- University of Florida, Department of Epidemiology, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America.
| | - Vinita Sharma
- Boise State University, School of Public and Population Health, Boise, ID 83725-1835, United States of America.
| | - Lorna Bittencourt
- University of Minnesota, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Kelly K Gurka
- University of Florida, Department of Epidemiology, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America.
| | - Juan Guillermo Perez-Carreño
- University of Florida, Department of Epidemiology, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America.
| | - Catalina Lopez-Quintero
- University of Florida, Department of Epidemiology, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America.
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Sandini TM, Onofrychuk TJ, Roebuck AJ, Hammond SA, Udenze D, Hayat S, Herdzik MA, McElroy DL, Orvold SN, Greba Q, Laprairie RB, Howland JG. Repeated Exposure to High-THC Cannabis Smoke during Gestation Alters Sex Ratio, Behavior, and Amygdala Gene Expression of Sprague Dawley Rat Offspring. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0100-23.2023. [PMID: 37957008 PMCID: PMC10687874 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0100-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Because of the legalization of Cannabis in many jurisdictions and the trend of increasing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in Cannabis products, an urgent need exists to understand the impact of Cannabis use during pregnancy on fetal neurodevelopment and behavior. To this end, we exposed female Sprague Dawley rats to Cannabis smoke daily from gestational day 6 to 20 or room air. Maternal reproductive parameters, offspring behavior, and gene expression in the offspring amygdala were assessed. Body temperature was decreased in dams following smoke exposure and more fecal boli were observed in the chambers before and after smoke exposure in dams exposed to smoke. Maternal weight gain, food intake, gestational length, litter number, and litter weight were not altered by exposure to Cannabis smoke. A significant increase in the male-to-female ratio was noted in the Cannabis-exposed litters. In adulthood, male and female Cannabis smoke-exposed offspring explored the inner zone of an open field significantly less than control offspring. Gestational Cannabis smoke exposure did not affect behavior on the elevated plus maze test or social interaction test in the offspring. Cannabis offspring were better at visual pairwise discrimination and reversal learning tasks conducted in touchscreen-equipped operant conditioning chambers. Analysis of gene expression in the adult amygdala using RNA sequencing revealed subtle changes in genes related to development, cellular function, and nervous system disease in a subset of the male offspring. These results demonstrate that repeated exposure to high-THC Cannabis smoke during gestation alters maternal physiological parameters, sex ratio, and anxiety-like behaviors in the adulthood offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaisa M Sandini
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Timothy J Onofrychuk
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Andrew J Roebuck
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
- School of Liberal Arts, Yukon University, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory Y1A 5K4, Canada
| | - S Austin Hammond
- Global Institute for Food Security, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 4L8, Canada
| | - Daniel Udenze
- Next Generation Sequencing Facility, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Shahina Hayat
- Deparment of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Melissa A Herdzik
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Dan L McElroy
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Spencer N Orvold
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Robert B Laprairie
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
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Motamedi S, Amleshi RS, Javar BA, Shams P, Kohlmeier KA, Shabani M. Cannabis during pregnancy: A way to transfer an impairment to later life. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:1327-1344. [PMID: 37318343 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Motamedi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Reza Saboori Amleshi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Behnoush Akbari Javar
- Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Health Foresight and Innovation Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Parisa Shams
- Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Kristi A Kohlmeier
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mohammad Shabani
- Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Kovács MV, Charchat-Fichman H, Landeira-Fernandez J, Medina AE, Krahe TE. Combined exposure to alcohol and cannabis during development: Mechanisms and outcomes. Alcohol 2023; 110:1-13. [PMID: 36740025 PMCID: PMC10372841 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to substances of abuse during pregnancy can have long-lasting effects on offspring. Alcohol is one of the most widely used substances of abuse that leads to the most severe consequences. Recent studies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom showed that between 1% and 7% of all children exhibit signs and symptoms of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Despite preventive campaigns, the rate of children with FASD has not decreased during recent decades. Alcohol consumption often accompanies exposure to such drugs as tobacco, cocaine, opioids, and cannabis. These interactions can be synergistic and exacerbate the deleterious consequences of developmental alcohol exposure. The present review focuses on interactions between alcohol and cannabis exposure and the potential consequences of these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina V Kovács
- Departamento de Psicologia, Laboratório de Neurociência do Comportamento, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22451-900, Brazil
| | - Helenice Charchat-Fichman
- Departamento de Psicologia, Laboratório de Neurociência do Comportamento, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22451-900, Brazil
| | - J Landeira-Fernandez
- Departamento de Psicologia, Laboratório de Neurociência do Comportamento, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22451-900, Brazil
| | - Alexandre E Medina
- Department of Pediatrics - School of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States.
| | - Thomas E Krahe
- Departamento de Psicologia, Laboratório de Neurociência do Comportamento, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22451-900, Brazil.
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McPherson C. Up in Smoke: The Impacts of Marijuana During Pregnancy. Neonatal Netw 2023; 42:222-232. [PMID: 37491043 DOI: 10.1891/nn-2022-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Numerous drugs ingested during pregnancy can impact the developing fetus. Although some effects are apparent at birth as overt teratogenicity or profound neonatal withdrawal, others become apparent only after a careful long-term follow-up into childhood. Shifting legal and cultural attitudes toward marijuana have led to increased use during pregnancy. This shift should prompt health care providers to carefully consider the drug's mechanism of action, its interaction with the placenta, and the potential consequences of fetal exposure. The primary psychoactive compound in marijuana is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which agonizes endogenous cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoid receptors are present in the fetal brain early in gestation and appear to have an important role in the developing central nervous system. THC crosses the placenta in sufficient quantities to raise concerns about exogenous exposure during fetal development. Robust follow-up studies suggest that marijuana use during pregnancy contributes to suboptimal fetal growth. At school age, heavy prenatal marijuana exposure predicts challenges in executive function (specifically, memory and reasoning) and externalizing behavior (e.g., hyperactivity and inattention). Memory and behavioral problems persist into early adulthood. These challenges coincide with a higher risk of heavy marijuana use in offspring. In concert with a suboptimal environment, young adults may experience a higher risk of global cognitive impairment and/or delinquency. Importantly, these adverse outcomes appear to be mitigated by postnatal factors including home environment. Ongoing studies in the modern era will be vital to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms by which THC impacts the fetus and confirm or refute knowledge regarding long-term impact. This knowledge will inform both health care providers and parents in collaborative decision-making to optimize the outcome of children.
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Lei A, Breit KR, Thomas JD. Prenatal alcohol and tetrahydrocannabinol exposure: Effects on spatial and working memory. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1192786. [PMID: 37383100 PMCID: PMC10293645 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1192786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alcohol and cannabis are widely used recreational drugs that can negatively impact fetal development, leading to cognitive impairments. However, these drugs may be used simultaneously and the effects of combined exposure during the prenatal period are not well understood. Thus, this study used an animal model to investigate the effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol (EtOH), Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or the combination on spatial and working memory. Methods Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to vaporized ethanol (EtOH; 68 ml/h), THC (100 mg/ml), the combination, or vehicle control during gestational days 5-20. Adolescent male and female offspring were evaluated using the Morris water maze task to assess spatial and working memory. Results Prenatal THC exposure impaired spatial learning and memory in female offspring, whereas prenatal EtOH exposure impaired working memory. The combination of THC and EtOH did not exacerbate the effects of either EtOH or THC, although subjects exposed to the combination were less thigmotaxic, which might represent an increase in risk-taking behavior. Discussion Our results highlight the differential effects of prenatal exposure to THC and EtOH on cognitive and emotional development, with substance- and sex-specific patterns. These findings highlight the potential harm of THC and EtOH on fetal development and support public health policies aimed at reducing cannabis and alcohol use during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Lei
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kristen R. Breit
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA, United States
| | - Jennifer D. Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
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Mulligan MK, Hamre KM. Influence of prenatal cannabinoid exposure on early development and beyond. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2023; 3:10981. [PMID: 38389825 PMCID: PMC10880766 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2023.10981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Public perception surrounding whether cannabis use is harmful during pregnancy often diverges greatly from the recommendations of doctors and healthcare providers. In contrast to the medical guidance of abstinence before, during, and after pregnancy, many women of reproductive age believe cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with little potential harm. Legalization and social cues support public perceptions that cannabis use during pregnancy is safe. Moreover, pregnant women may consider cannabis to be a safe alternative for treating pregnancy related ailments, including morning sickness. Compounding the problem is a lack of medical and federal guidance on safe, low, or high-risk levels of cannabis use. These issues mirror the continuing debate surrounding alcohol use and health, in particular, whether there are safe or lower risk levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Clinical studies to date suffer from several limitations. First, most human studies are correlative in nature, meaning that causal associations cannot be made between in utero cannabis exposure and health and behavioral outcomes later in life. Due to obvious ethical constraints, it is not possible to randomly assign pregnant mothers to cannabis or other drug exposure conditions-a requirement needed to establish causality. In addition, clinical studies often lack quantitative information on maternal exposure (i.e., dose, frequency, and duration), include a small number of individuals, lack replication of outcome measures across cohorts, rely on self-report to establish maternal drug use, and suffer from unmeasured or residual confounding factors. Causal associations between maternal cannabis exposure and offspring outcomes are possible in preclinical cohorts but there is a large amount of heterogeneity across study designs and developmental differences between rodents and humans may limit translatability. In this review, we summarize research from human and preclinical models to provide insight into potential risks associated with prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE). Finally, we highlight gaps in knowledge likely to contribute to the growing divide between medical guidance and public attitudes regarding cannabis use during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K Mulligan
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Kristin M Hamre
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, TN, United States
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Di Bartolomeo M, Stark T, Di Martino S, Iannotti FA, Ruda-Kucerova J, Romano GL, Kuchar M, Laudani S, Palivec P, Piscitelli F, Wotjak CT, Bucolo C, Drago F, Di Marzo V, D’Addario C, Micale V. The Effects of Peripubertal THC Exposure in Neurodevelopmental Rat Models of Psychopathology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043907. [PMID: 36835313 PMCID: PMC9962163 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescent exposure to cannabinoids as a postnatal environmental insult may increase the risk of psychosis in subjects exposed to perinatal insult, as suggested by the two-hit hypothesis of schizophrenia. Here, we hypothesized that peripubertal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (aTHC) may affect the impact of prenatal methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) or perinatal THC (pTHC) exposure in adult rats. We found that MAM and pTHC-exposed rats, when compared to the control group (CNT), were characterized by adult phenotype relevant to schizophrenia, including social withdrawal and cognitive impairment, as revealed by social interaction test and novel object recognition test, respectively. At the molecular level, we observed an increase in cannabinoid CB1 receptor (Cnr1) and/or dopamine D2/D3 receptor (Drd2, Drd3) gene expression in the prefrontal cortex of adult MAM or pTHC-exposed rats, which we attributed to changes in DNA methylation at key regulatory gene regions. Interestingly, aTHC treatment significantly impaired social behavior, but not cognitive performance in CNT groups. In pTHC rats, aTHC did not exacerbate the altered phenotype nor dopaminergic signaling, while it reversed cognitive deficit in MAM rats by modulating Drd2 and Drd3 gene expression. In conclusion, our results suggest that the effects of peripubertal THC exposure may depend on individual differences related to dopaminergic neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Tibor Stark
- Scientific Core Unit Neuroimaging, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Serena Di Martino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Fabio Arturo Iannotti
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Jana Ruda-Kucerova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Giovanni Luca Romano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Martin Kuchar
- Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
- Psychedelic Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Samuele Laudani
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Petr Palivec
- Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Fabiana Piscitelli
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Carsten T. Wotjak
- Central Nervous System Diseases Research (CNSDR), Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Claudio Bucolo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
- Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, Faculty of Medicine, Agricultural and Food Sciences, CRIUCPQ, INAF and Centre NUTRISS, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G5, Canada
| | - Claudio D’Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Micale
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +39-095-4781199
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Patthy Á, Hanics J, Zachar G, Kovács GG, Harkany T, Alpár A. Regional redistribution of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in human foetal brains with Down's syndrome and their functional modifications in Ts65Dn +/+ mice. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2023; 49:e12887. [PMID: 36716771 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The endocannabinoid system with its type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1 R) expressed in postmitotic neuroblasts is a critical chemotropic guidance module with its actions cascading across neurogenic commitment, neuronal polarisation and synaptogenesis in vertebrates. Here, we present the systematic analysis of regional CB1 R expression in the developing human brain from gestational week 14 until birth. In parallel, we diagrammed differences in CB1 R development in Down syndrome foetuses and identified altered CB1 R signalling. METHODS Foetal brains with normal development or with Down's syndrome were analysed using standard immunohistochemistry, digitalised light microscopy and image analysis (NanoZoomer). CB1 R function was investigated by in vitro neuropharmacology from neonatal Ts65Dn transgenic mice brains carrying an additional copy of ~90 conserved protein-coding gene orthologues of the human chromosome 21. RESULTS We detected a meshwork of fine-calibre, often varicose processes between the subventricular and intermediate zones of the cortical plate in the late first trimester, when telencephalic fibre tracts develop. The density of CB1 Rs gradually decreased during the second and third trimesters in the neocortex. In contrast, CB1 R density was maintained, or even increased, in the hippocampus. We found the onset of CB1 R expression being delayed by ≥1 month in age-matched foetal brains with Down's syndrome. In vitro, CB1 R excitation induced excess microtubule stabilisation and, consequently, reduced neurite outgrowth. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that neuroarchitectural impairments in Down's syndrome brains involve the delayed development and errant functions of the endocannabinoid system, with a particular impact on endocannabinoids modulating axonal wiring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágoston Patthy
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Hanics
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,SE NAP Research Group of Experimental Neuroanatomy and Developmental Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Zachar
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor G Kovács
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Tibor Harkany
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Alán Alpár
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,SE NAP Research Group of Experimental Neuroanatomy and Developmental Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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11
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Cytotoxic Effects of Cannabidiol on Neonatal Rat Cortical Neurons and Astrocytes: Potential Danger to Brain Development. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14100720. [PMID: 36287988 PMCID: PMC9611593 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14100720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence of cannabidiol (CBD) on brain development is inadequately understood. Since CBD is considered a non-intoxicating drug, it has attracted great interest concerning its potential medical applicability, including in pregnant women and children. Here, we elucidated the response of perinatal rat cortical neurons and astrocytes to CBD at submicromolar (0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 µM) concentrations attainable in humans. The effect of CBD was concentration- and time-dependent and cell-specific. In neurons, 0.1 µM CBD induced an early and transient change in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), ATP depletion, and caspase-8 activation, followed by rapid ATP recovery and progressive activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3/7, resulting in early apoptotic cell death with reduction and shortening of dendrites, cell shrinkage, and chromatin condensation. The decrease in neuronal viability, ATP depletion, and caspase activation due to CBD exposure was prevented by transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) antagonist. In astrocytes, 0.5 µM CBD caused an immediate short-term dysregulation of ΔΨm, followed by ATP depletion with transient activation of caspase-8 and progressive activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3/7, leading to early apoptosis and subsequent necroptosis. In astrocytes, both TRPV1 and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB<sub>1</sub>) antagonists protected viability and prevented apoptosis. Given that CBD is a non-intoxicating drug, our results clearly show that this is not the case during critical periods of brain development when it can significantly interfere with the endogenous cannabinoid system.
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Campbell MA, Iyer P, Kaufman F, Kim A, Moran F, Niknam Y, Wu L, Sandy MS, Zeise L. Animal evidence considered in determination of cannabis smoke and Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol as causing reproductive toxicity (developmental endpoint); Part I. somatic development. Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:1143-1154. [PMID: 36177831 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES On December 11, 2019, California's Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC) met to consider the addition of cannabis smoke and Δ9 -THC to the Proposition 65 list as causing reproductive toxicity (developmental endpoint). As the lead state agency for implementing Proposition 65, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) reviewed and summarized the relevant scientific literature in the form of a hazard identification document (HID). Here we provide reviews based on the HID: shortened, revised, and reformatted for a larger audience. METHODS While the HID included both human and animal data, this set of three reviews will highlight the animal-derived data pertaining to somatic development (Part I), neurodevelopmental effects (Part II), and proposed neurodevelopmental mechanisms of action (Part III). RESULTS Endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs) and their receptors serve many critical functions in normal development. Δ9 -THC can interfere with these functions. Mechanistic studies employed techniques including: blocking Δ9 -THC binding to endocannabinoid (EC) receptors, inhibiting Δ9 -THC metabolism, and/or using animals expressing knockout mutations of EC receptors. Apical somatic effects of cannabis smoke or Δ9 -THC reported in whole animal studies included decreases in offspring viability and growth. Mechanistic studies discussed in Part I focused on Δ9 -THC effects on early embryos and implantation, immune development, and bone growth. CONCLUSIONS In reaching its decision to list cannabis and Δ9 -THC as a developmental toxicant under California's Proposition 65, the DARTIC considered biological plausibility and the consistency of mechanistic information with effects reported in human and whole animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlissa A Campbell
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Poorni Iyer
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Farla Kaufman
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Allegra Kim
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Francisco Moran
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Yassaman Niknam
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Lily Wu
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Martha S Sandy
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Lauren Zeise
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
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13
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Niknam Y, Iyer P, Campbell MA, Moran F, Sandy MS, Zeise L. Animal evidence considered in determination of cannabis smoke and Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol as causing reproductive toxicity (developmental endpoint): Part III. Proposed neurodevelopmental mechanisms of action. Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:1169-1185. [PMID: 36125082 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes the most common potential pathways of neurodevelopmental toxicity due to perinatal exposure to Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC) that lead to behavioral and other adverse outcomes (AOs). This is Part III in a set of reviews highlighting the animal-derived data considered by California's Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC) in 2019. The Hazard Identification Document (HID) provided to the DARTIC included a summary of human, whole animal, and mechanistic data on the neurodevelopmental toxicity of cannabis smoke and Δ9 -THC. The literature search for mechanistic data has been updated through 2020. We focus on mechanistic pathways relating to behavioral and other neurodevelopmental outcomes of perinatal exposure to Δ9 -THC. The endocannabinoid system (EC system) plays a crucial role in many processes involved in neurodevelopment and exposure to Δ9 -THC can alter these processes. Whole animal studies report changes in cognitive ability, behavior, and motor function after prenatal exposure to Δ9 -THC. Findings from mechanistic studies add to this evidence and further provide information regarding the pathways leading to these outcomes. Neuromechanistic studies can bridge the gaps between molecular initiating events and apical neurodevelopmental endpoints caused by a chemical. They offer insight into potential alterations in the same pathways by other chemicals that can also result in AOs. Studies of cannabinoid receptor agonist-induced molecular alterations and provide deep biological plausibility at the mechanistic level for the cognitive, behavioral, and motor impairments observed in animal studies after perinatal exposure to Δ9 -THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yassaman Niknam
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)/Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch (RCHAB), California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Poorni Iyer
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)/Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch (RCHAB), California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Marlissa A Campbell
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)/Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch (RCHAB), California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Francisco Moran
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)/Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch (RCHAB), California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Martha S Sandy
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)/Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch (RCHAB), California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Lauren Zeise
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)/Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch (RCHAB), California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
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14
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Kuthiala S, Selvakumar S, Vincent S, Vastis V, Zgardau A, Shea AK. How are Canadian cannabis dispensaries counselling breastfeeding consumers? Paediatr Child Health 2022; 27:225-231. [DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxac019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
This study aimed to identify recommendations given to breastfeeding individuals by Canadian cannabis dispensary employees, since the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2018.
Methods
This was a nationwide cross-sectional study conducted from November 2020 to January 2021. A mystery caller approach was used to identify recommendations given to breastfeeding individuals seeking a product for “relaxation.” This study was modelled on similar studies which assessed recommendations given to pregnant women looking for cannabis products to manage nausea and vomiting (Vastis V, Shea AK, Vincent S, Metz TD. 275: Are canadian cannabis dispensaries counselling pregnant women appropriately? Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2020;222: S187.(Abst). Lusero I, Paltrow LM, Rosenbloom N. Recommendations from cannabis dispensaries about first-trimester cannabis use Obstet Gynecol 2018;132:781–2.). The primary outcome was the recommendation of a cannabis product. Secondary outcomes included stated benefits of cannabis, recommended discussion with health care provider, length of call, rationale for recommendation, and reported source of information on which the recommendation was based.
Results
The majority (79.4%) of employees of the 714 Canadian dispensaries contacted recommended against a cannabis product for “relaxation” while breastfeeding. The recommendations from dispensary employees were often (80%) provided without a specific reason, whereas a minority referenced published research (2%) and opinion (17.6%). Cannabis products were rarely (3.3%) classified as safe in breastfeeding. Approximately 76.6% of dispensary employees recommended contacting a health care provider, while 2.4% recommended against.
Conclusions
Although a high proportion of dispensary employees recommended against using a cannabis product during lactation, there were still 20.6% that did recommend use, which contrasts the current public health guidelines and is not supported by the paediatric and obstetric societies. These findings highlight the need for further education about the safety of cannabis products while breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Kuthiala
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Ontario , Canada
| | - Shamini Selvakumar
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University , Hamilton, Ontario , Canada
| | - Sophie Vincent
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Ontario , Canada
| | - Vasilia Vastis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Ontario , Canada
| | - Alina Zgardau
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
| | - Alison K Shea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Ontario , Canada
- The Research Institute , St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario , Canada
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15
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Dos(e)Age: Role of Dose and Age in the Long-Term Effect of Cannabinoids on Cognition. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27041411. [PMID: 35209200 PMCID: PMC8876668 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27041411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis is still the most widely used illicit drug around the world. While its use has always been prevalent among adolescents, recent evidence suggests that its consumption is also increasing among other population groups, such as pregnant women and aged people. Given the known impact of cannabis on brain development and behavior, it is important to dissect the possible long-term impact of its use across different age groups, especially on measures of cognitive performance. Animal models of cannabinoid exposure have represented a fundamental tool to characterize the long-lasting consequences of cannabinoids on cognitive performance and helped to identify possible factors that could modulate cannabinoids effects in the long term, such as the age of exposure and doses administered. This scoping review was systematically conducted using PubMed and includes papers published from 2015 to December 2021 that examined the effects of cannabinoids, either natural or synthetic, on cognitive performance in animal models where exposure occurred in the prenatal period, during adolescence, or in older animals. Overall, available data clearly point to a crucial role of age in determining the long-term effect of cannabinoid on cognition, highlighting possible detrimental consequences during brain development (prenatal and adolescent exposure) and beneficial outcomes in old age. In contrast, despite the recent advances in the field, it appears difficult to clearly establish a possible role of dosage in the effects of cannabinoids on cognition, especially when the adolescent period is taken into account.
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Testai FD, Gorelick PB, Aparicio HJ, Filbey FM, Gonzalez R, Gottesman RF, Melis M, Piano MR, Rubino T, Song SY. Use of Marijuana: Effect on Brain Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Stroke 2022; 53:e176-e187. [PMID: 35142225 DOI: 10.1161/str.0000000000000396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Marijuana is perceived as a harmless drug, and its recreational use has gained popularity among young individuals. The concentration of active ingredients in recreational formulations has gradually increased over time, and high-potency illicit cannabinomimetics have become available. Thus, the consumption of cannabis in the general population is rising. Data from preclinical models demonstrate that cannabinoid receptors are expressed in high density in areas involved in cognition and behavior, particularly during periods of active neurodevelopment and maturation. In addition, growing evidence highlights the role of endogenous cannabinoid pathways in the regulation of neurotransmitter release, synaptic plasticity, and neurodevelopment. In animal models, exogenous cannabinoids disrupt these important processes and lead to cognitive and behavioral abnormalities. These data correlate with the higher risk of cognitive impairment reported in some observational studies done in humans. It is unclear whether the effect of cannabis on cognition reverts after abstinence. However, this evidence, along with the increased risk of stroke reported in marijuana users, raises concerns about its potential long-term effects on cognitive function. This scientific statement reviews the safety of cannabis use from the perspective of brain health, describes mechanistically how cannabis may cause cognitive dysfunction, and advocates for a more informed health care worker and consumer about the potential for cannabis to adversely affect the brain.
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Koto P, Allen VM, Fahey J, Kuhle S. Maternal cannabis use during pregnancy and maternal and neonatal outcomes: A retrospective cohort study. BJOG 2022; 129:1687-1694. [PMID: 35118787 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.17114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between reported prenatal cannabis use and neonatal and maternal outcomes and whether the legalisation of cannabis in Canada affected the rates of reported use or the association with maternal and neonatal outcomes. DESIGN Population-based retrospective cohort study. SETTING Routinely collected data in a real-world setting. POPULATION All women in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia with singleton births between 1 January 2004 and 30 June 2021. METHODS The association between cannabis use and maternal and neonatal outcomes was examined using generalised linear models with inverse probability weighting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Maternal and neonatal outcomes in the peripartum and postpartum period. RESULTS Rates of reported cannabis use in pregnancy increased from 1.3% to 7.5% over the study period with no appreciable change in slope after legalisation in 2018. Infants of mothers reporting cannabis use in pregnancy were more likely to have major anomalies and a 5-minute Apgar score ≤7, require neonatal intensive care unit admission, and had lower birthweight, head circumference and birth length than infants of mothers not reporting cannabis use. These associations did not differ before and after legalisation. CONCLUSIONS Reported cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with early postnatal complications and reduced fetal growth, even after taking into account a range of confounding factors. Rates of reported cannabis use during pregnancy increased over the past 5 years in Nova Scotia with no apparent additional effect of legalisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prosper Koto
- Research Methods Unit, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Victoria M Allen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - John Fahey
- Reproductive Care Programme of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Stefan Kuhle
- Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Paediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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18
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de Melo Reis RA, Isaac AR, Freitas HR, de Almeida MM, Schuck PF, Ferreira GC, Andrade-da-Costa BLDS, Trevenzoli IH. Quality of Life and a Surveillant Endocannabinoid System. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:747229. [PMID: 34776851 PMCID: PMC8581450 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.747229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an important brain modulatory network. ECS regulates brain homeostasis throughout development, from progenitor fate decision to neuro- and gliogenesis, synaptogenesis, brain plasticity and circuit repair, up to learning, memory, fear, protection, and death. It is a major player in the hypothalamic-peripheral system-adipose tissue in the regulation of food intake, energy storage, nutritional status, and adipose tissue mass, consequently affecting obesity. Loss of ECS control might affect mood disorders (anxiety, hyperactivity, psychosis, and depression), lead to drug abuse, and impact neurodegenerative (Alzheimer's, Parkinson, Huntington, Multiple, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and neurodevelopmental (autism spectrum) disorders. Practice of regular physical and/or mind-body mindfulness and meditative activities have been shown to modulate endocannabinoid (eCB) levels, in addition to other players as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). ECS is involved in pain, inflammation, metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunctions, general immune responses (asthma, allergy, and arthritis) and tumor expansion, both/either in the brain and/or in the periphery. The reason for such a vast impact is the fact that arachidonic acid, a precursor of eCBs, is present in every membrane cell of the body and on demand eCBs synthesis is regulated by electrical activity and calcium shifts. Novel lipid (lipoxins and resolvins) or peptide (hemopressin) players of the ECS also operate as regulators of physiological allostasis. Indeed, the presence of cannabinoid receptors in intracellular organelles as mitochondria or lysosomes, or in nuclear targets as PPARγ might impact energy consumption, metabolism and cell death. To live a better life implies in a vigilant ECS, through healthy diet selection (based on a balanced omega-3 and -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids), weekly exercises and meditation therapy, all of which regulating eCBs levels, surrounded by a constructive social network. Cannabidiol, a diet supplement has been a major player with anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antioxidant activities. Cognitive challenges and emotional intelligence might strengthen the ECS, which is built on a variety of synapses that modify human behavior. As therapeutically concerned, the ECS is essential for maintaining homeostasis and cannabinoids are promising tools to control innumerous targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Augusto de Melo Reis
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alinny Rosendo Isaac
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hércules Rezende Freitas
- Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Macedo de Almeida
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Fernanda Schuck
- Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Costa Ferreira
- Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Isis Hara Trevenzoli
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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19
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The Impact of Early Life Exposure to Cannabis: The Role of the Endocannabinoid System. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168576. [PMID: 34445282 PMCID: PMC8395329 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis use during pregnancy has continued to rise, particularly in developed countries, as a result of the trend towards legalization and lack of consistent, evidence-based knowledge on the matter. While there is conflicting data regarding whether cannabis use during pregnancy leads to adverse outcomes such as stillbirth, preterm birth, low birthweight, or increased admission to neonatal intensive care units, investigations into long-term effects on the offspring’s health are limited. Historically, studies have focused on the neurobehavioral effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on the offspring. The effects of cannabis on other physiological aspects of the developing fetus have received less attention. Importantly, our knowledge about cannabinoid signaling in the placenta is also limited. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is present at early stages of development and represents a potential target for exogenous cannabinoids in utero. The ECS is expressed in a broad range of tissues and influences a spectrum of cellular functions. The aim of this review is to explore the current evidence surrounding the effects of prenatal exposure to cannabinoids and the role of the ECS in the placenta and the developing fetus.
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20
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Narendran N, Yusuf K. Marijuana Use during Pregnancy and Lactation and Long-term Outcomes. Neoreviews 2021; 22:e521-e530. [PMID: 34341159 DOI: 10.1542/neo.22-8-e521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Recent surveys have shown increased use of marijuana during the perinatal period, possibly linked to increased legalization in many countries. Available information on the association between marijuana exposure and the effects on growth and development, as well as brain structure and function of the fetus, is growing but has not been uniform. Interpretation of these data is often challenging because of the influence of confounding factors and the sociodemographic variabilities in the study subjects. In this review, we present a synthesis of current information on the epidemiology and effects of marijuana use during pregnancy and evaluate the evidence for the immediate and long-term effects on affected neonates. We also describe the current knowledge and implications of breastfeeding and marijuana use and summarize selected current references about this practice. Finally, we provide the rationale for additional biological and population-based investigations to determine the various fetal outcomes of in-utero marijuana exposure that may assist in the establishment of prevention measures and applicable public health policies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Narendran
- Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary and Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Karman Yusuf
- Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary and Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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21
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Hua LL, Alderman EM, Chung RJ, Grubb LK, Lee J, Powers ME, Upadhya KK, Wallace SB. Collaborative Care in the Identification and Management of Psychosis in Adolescents and Young Adults. Pediatrics 2021; 147:peds.2021-051486. [PMID: 34031232 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-051486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pediatricians are often the first physicians to encounter adolescents and young adults presenting with psychotic symptoms. Although pediatricians would ideally be able to refer these patients immediately into psychiatric care, the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatry services may sometimes require pediatricians to make an initial assessment or continue care after recommendations are made by a specialist. Knowing how to identify and further evaluate these symptoms in pediatric patients and how to collaborate with and refer to specialty care is critical in helping to minimize the duration of untreated psychosis and to optimize outcomes. Because not all patients presenting with psychotic-like symptoms will convert to a psychotic disorder, pediatricians should avoid prematurely assigning a diagnosis when possible. Other contributing factors, such as co-occurring substance abuse or trauma, should also be considered. This clinical report describes psychotic and psychotic-like symptoms in the pediatric age group as well as etiology, risk factors, and recommendations for pediatricians, who may be among the first health care providers to identify youth at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei L. Hua
- Catholic Charities of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland
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22
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Scheffler F, Du Plessis S, Asmal L, Kilian S, Phahladira L, Luckhoff HK, Emsley R. Cannabis use and hippocampal subfield volumes in males with a first episode of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and healthy controls. Schizophr Res 2021; 231:13-21. [PMID: 33740561 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both schizophrenia and cannabis use are associated with structural brain changes. The hippocampus is a region of particular interest due to its role in memory and select cognitive functions, impairment of which is a core feature of schizophrenia and has also been observed in substance abuse. This study aimed to explore the effects of recent/current cannabis use on hippocampal subfield volumes in male patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders and matched controls. METHODS This cross-sectional, case-control study included 63 patients and 58 controls scanned on 3T MRI scanners, with hippocampal segmentation performed using recently validated Freesurfer v6.0 software. Cannabis use status was determined by self and carer report together with urine toxicology screening, and patients were categorised as recent/current users or non-users. We used multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with age, scan sequence, scan quality, and total intracranial volume as covariates, with subsequent analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the effects of diagnosis and cannabis use status on individual hippocampal subfields. RESULTS We found a group (patient/control) by cannabis use interaction effect in the subiculum, with decreased volumes observed in the cannabis non-using patients compared to the cannabis using patients, and decreased volumes in the cannabis using controls compared to the cannabis non-using controls. CONCLUSION The increased subiculum volume in cannabis using patients compared to cannabis non-using patients raises important questions regarding the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and the role of cannabis use therein.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Scheffler
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
| | - S Du Plessis
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - L Asmal
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - S Kilian
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - L Phahladira
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - H K Luckhoff
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - R Emsley
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
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23
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Sagheddu C, Traccis F, Serra V, Congiu M, Frau R, Cheer JF, Melis M. Mesolimbic dopamine dysregulation as a signature of information processing deficits imposed by prenatal THC exposure. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 105:110128. [PMID: 33031862 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is the illicit drug most widely used by pregnant women worldwide. Its growing acceptance and legalization have markedly increased the risks of child psychopathology, including psychotic-like experiences, which lowers the age of onset for a first psychotic episode. As the majority of patients with schizophrenia go through a premorbid condition long before this occurs, understanding neurobiological underpinnings of the prodromal stage of the disease is critical to improving illness trajectories and therapeutic outcomes. We have previously shown that male rat offspring prenatally exposed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a rat model of prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE), exhibit extensive molecular and synaptic changes in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), converging on a hyperdopaminergic state. This leads to a silent psychotic-like endophenotype that is unmasked by a single exposure to THC. Here, we further characterized the VTA dopamine neuron and sensorimotor gating functions of PCE rats exposed to acute stress or a challenge of the D2 receptor agonist apomorphine, by using in vivo single-unit extracellular recordings and Prepulse Inhibition (PPI) analyses. At pre-puberty, PCE male rat offspring display a reduced population activity of VTA dopamine neurons in vivo, the majority of which are tonically active. PCE male progeny also exhibit enhanced sensitivity to dopamine D2 (DAD2) receptor activation and a vulnerability to acute stress, which is associated with compromised sensorimotor gating functions. This data extends our knowledge of the multifaceted sequelae imposed by PCE in the mesolimbic dopamine system of male pre-adolescent rats, which renders a neural substrate highly susceptible to subsequent challenges that may trigger psychotic-like outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Sagheddu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Francesco Traccis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Valeria Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Mauro Congiu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Roberto Frau
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Miriam Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy.
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24
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Walker OS, Gurm H, Sharma R, Verma N, May LL, Raha S. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol inhibits invasion of HTR8/SVneo human extravillous trophoblast cells and negatively impacts mitochondrial function. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4029. [PMID: 33597628 PMCID: PMC7889882 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83563-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal cannabis use is a significant problem and poses important health risks for the developing fetus. The molecular mechanisms underlying these changes are not fully elucidated but are thought to be attributed to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main bioactive constituent of cannabis. It has been reported that THC may target the mitochondria in several tissue types, including placental tissue and trophoblast cell lines, and alter their function. In the present study, in response to 48-h THC treatment of the human extravillous trophoblast cell line HTR8/SVneo, we demonstrate that cell proliferation and invasion are significantly reduced. We further demonstrate THC-treatment elevated levels of cellular reactive oxygen species and markers of lipid damage. This was accompanied by evidence of increased mitochondrial fission. We also observed increased expression of cellular stress markers, HSP70 and HSP60, following exposure to THC. These effects were coincident with reduced mitochondrial respiratory function and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. Taken together, our results suggest that THC can induce mitochondrial dysfunction and reduce trophoblast invasion; outcomes that have been previously linked to poor placentation. We also demonstrate that these changes in HTR8/SVneo biology may be variably mediated by cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2.
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Affiliation(s)
- O’Llenecia S. Walker
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, HSC 4H7, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Harmeet Gurm
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, HSC 4H7, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Reeti Sharma
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227 Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, HSC 4H7, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Navkiran Verma
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227 Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, HSC 4H7, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Linda L. May
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227 Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, HSC 4H7, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Sandeep Raha
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, HSC 4H7, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
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25
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Traccis F, Serra V, Sagheddu C, Congiu M, Saba P, Giua G, Devoto P, Frau R, Cheer JF, Melis M. Prenatal THC Does Not Affect Female Mesolimbic Dopaminergic System in Preadolescent Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041666. [PMID: 33562259 PMCID: PMC7914408 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis use among pregnant women is increasing worldwide along with permissive sociocultural attitudes toward it. Prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE), however, is associated with adverse outcome among offspring, ranging from reduced birth weight to child psychopathology. We have previously shown that male rat offspring prenatally exposed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a rat model of PCE, exhibit extensive molecular, cellular, and synaptic changes in dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), resulting in a susceptible mesolimbic dopamine system associated with a psychotic-like endophenotype. This phenotype only reveals itself upon a single exposure to THC in males but not females. Here, we characterized the impact of PCE on female behaviors and mesolimbic dopamine system function by combining in vivo single-unit extracellular recordings in anesthetized animals and ex vivo patch clamp recordings, along with neurochemical and behavioral analyses. We find that PCE female offspring do not show any spontaneous or THC-induced behavioral disease-relevant phenotypes. The THC-induced increase in dopamine levels in nucleus accumbens was reduced in PCE female offspring, even when VTA dopamine activity in vivo and ex vivo did not differ compared to control. These findings indicate that PCE impacts mesolimbic dopamine function and its related behavioral domains in a sex-dependent manner and warrant further investigations to decipher the mechanisms determining this sex-related protective effect from intrauterine THC exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Traccis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Valeria Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Claudia Sagheddu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Mauro Congiu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Pierluigi Saba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Gabriele Giua
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Paola Devoto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Roberto Frau
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Joseph Francois Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Miriam Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-070-675-4322
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26
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Di Bartolomeo M, Stark T, Maurel OM, Iannotti FA, Kuchar M, Ruda-Kucerova J, Piscitelli F, Laudani S, Pekarik V, Salomone S, Arosio B, Mechoulam R, Maccarrone M, Drago F, Wotjak CT, Di Marzo V, Vismara M, Dell'Osso B, D'Addario C, Micale V. Crosstalk between the transcriptional regulation of dopamine D2 and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in schizophrenia: Analyses in patients and in perinatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-exposed rats. Pharmacol Res 2021; 164:105357. [PMID: 33285233 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) affects brain development and might increase the incidence of psychopathology later in life, which seems to be related to a dysregulation of endocannabinoid and/or dopaminergic systems. We here evaluated the transcriptional regulation of the genes encoding for the cannabinoid CB1 receptor (Cnr1) and the dopamine D2 receptor (Drd2) in perinatal THC-(pTHC) exposed male rats, focusing on the role of DNA methylation analyzed by pyrosequencing. Simultaneously, the molecular and behavioral abnormalities at two different time points (i.e., neonatal age and adulthood) and the potential preventive effect of peripubertal treatment with cannabidiol, a non-euphoric component of Cannabis, were assessed. The DRD2 methylation was also evaluated in a cohort of subjects with schizophrenia. We observed an increase in both Cnr1 and Drd2 mRNA levels selectively in the prefrontal cortex of adult pTHC-exposed rats with a consistent reduction in DNA methylation at the Drd2 regulatory region, paralleled by social withdrawal and cognitive impairment which were reversed by cannabidiol treatment. These adult abnormalities were preceded at neonatal age by delayed appearance of neonatal reflexes, higher Drd2 mRNA and lower 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) brain levels, which persisted till adulthood. Alterations of the epigenetic mark for DRD2 were also found in subjects with schizophrenia. Overall, reported data add further evidence to the dopamine-cannabinoid interaction in terms of DRD2 and CNR1 dysregulation which could be implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, suggesting that cannabidiol treatment may normalize pTHC-induced psychopathology by modulating the altered dopaminergic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Tibor Stark
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Neuronal Plasticity Research Group, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Oriana Maria Maurel
- Neuronal Plasticity Research Group, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Fabio Arturo Iannotti
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Endocannabinoid Research Group, Naples, Italy
| | - Martin Kuchar
- Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Ruda-Kucerova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Fabiana Piscitelli
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Endocannabinoid Research Group, Naples, Italy
| | - Samuele Laudani
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Vladimir Pekarik
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Salvatore Salomone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Beatrice Arosio
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Fondazione Ca' Granda, IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Raphael Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; European Center for Brain Research, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Carsten T Wotjak
- Neuronal Plasticity Research Group, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & KO KG, Germany
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Endocannabinoid Research Group, Naples, Italy; Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic, Health, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada; Joint International Unit on Chemical and Biomolecular Research on the Microbiome and its Impact on Metabolic Health and Nutrition (UMI-MicroMeNu), between Université Laval and Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, CNR, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Matteo Vismara
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'Luigi Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'Luigi Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy; "Aldo Ravelli" Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan Medical School, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, California, USA
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Vincenzo Micale
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.
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27
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Paraíso-Luna J, Aguareles J, Martín R, Ayo-Martín AC, Simón-Sánchez S, García-Rincón D, Costas-Insua C, García-Taboada E, de Salas-Quiroga A, Díaz-Alonso J, Liste I, Sánchez-Prieto J, Cappello S, Guzmán M, Galve-Roperh I. Endocannabinoid signalling in stem cells and cerebral organoids drives differentiation to deep layer projection neurons via CB 1 receptors. Development 2020; 147:226034. [PMID: 33168583 DOI: 10.1242/dev.192161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system, via the cannabinoid CB1 receptor, regulates neurodevelopment by controlling neural progenitor proliferation and neurogenesis. CB1 receptor signalling in vivo drives corticofugal deep layer projection neuron development through the regulation of BCL11B and SATB2 transcription factors. Here, we investigated the role of eCB signalling in mouse pluripotent embryonic stem cell-derived neuronal differentiation. Characterization of the eCB system revealed increased expression of eCB-metabolizing enzymes, eCB ligands and CB1 receptors during neuronal differentiation. CB1 receptor knockdown inhibited neuronal differentiation of deep layer neurons and increased upper layer neuron generation, and this phenotype was rescued by CB1 re-expression. Pharmacological regulation with CB1 receptor agonists or elevation of eCB tone with a monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor promoted neuronal differentiation of deep layer neurons at the expense of upper layer neurons. Patch-clamp analyses revealed that enhancing cannabinoid signalling facilitated neuronal differentiation and functionality. Noteworthy, incubation with CB1 receptor agonists during human iPSC-derived cerebral organoid formation also promoted the expansion of BCL11B+ neurons. These findings unveil a cell-autonomous role of eCB signalling that, via the CB1 receptor, promotes mouse and human deep layer cortical neuron development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Paraíso-Luna
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Aguareles
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Martín
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ane C Ayo-Martín
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Samuel Simón-Sánchez
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel García-Rincón
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Costas-Insua
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena García-Taboada
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Adán de Salas-Quiroga
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Díaz-Alonso
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Liste
- Unidad de Regeneración Neural, Unidad Funcional de Investigación de Enfermedades Crónicas (UFIEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Sánchez-Prieto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Manuel Guzmán
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ismael Galve-Roperh
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), 28040 Madrid, Spain
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28
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Odom GC, Cottler LB, Striley CW, Lopez-Quintero C. Perceived Risk of Weekly Cannabis Use, Past 30-Day Cannabis Use, and Frequency of Cannabis Use Among Pregnant Women in the United States. Int J Womens Health 2020; 12:1075-1088. [PMID: 33235517 PMCID: PMC7678496 DOI: 10.2147/ijwh.s266540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While accumulated evidence has shown that the prevalence of cannabis use among pregnant women in the US has increased in recent years, little is known about the specific subpopulations affected. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of the perceived risk of weekly cannabis use, past 30-day cannabis use, and frequency of past 30-day cannabis use among US pregnant women. METHODS We analyzed data from 2,247 pregnant women 14 to 44 years of age surveyed in the 2015 to 2017 cross-sectional National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Analyses account for the sampling design. Primary outcomes included perceived risk of weekly cannabis use, past 30-day cannabis use, and frequency of cannabis use. We conducted multivariable logistic and negative binomial regression models to assess the associations between the primary outcomes and multiple correlates. RESULTS Among US pregnant women, 21.6% (95% CI=19.4, 23.8) did not perceive any risk associated with weekly cannabis use, 5.3% (95% CI=4.2, 6.5) used cannabis in the past 30 days, and among past-month users, the average number of days of use was 15.6 (95% CI=13.5, 17.7). Pregnant women living below the poverty line were both more likely to perceive no risk of weekly cannabis use (aOR=1.8; 95% CI=1.3, 2.5) and use cannabis more often in the past 30 days (aOR=2.9; 95% CI=1.5, 5.7) than pregnant women within an income bracket of more than two times the federal poverty threshold. Age, race, trimester of pregnancy, co-use of tobacco and/or alcohol were also associated with these outcomes. CONCLUSION Younger age, living in poverty, early trimester of pregnancy, and co-use of tobacco and/or alcohol increased the odds of cannabis use among pregnant women. As cannabis legalization spreads and cannabis use is increasingly perceived as safe, there is a growing need for research to determine the reasons why women in the identified at-risk subgroups are using cannabis during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gage C Odom
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611, USA
| | - Linda B Cottler
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611, USA
| | - Catherine W Striley
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611, USA
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29
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Warton FL, Taylor PA, Warton CMR, Molteno CD, Wintermark P, Zöllei L, van der Kouwe AJ, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Meintjes EM. Reduced fractional anisotropy in projection, association, and commissural fiber networks in neonates with prenatal methamphetamine exposure. Dev Neurobiol 2020; 80:381-398. [PMID: 33010114 PMCID: PMC7855045 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to methamphetamine is associated with neurostructural changes, including alterations in white matter microstructure. This study investigated the effects of methamphetamine exposure on microstructure of global white matter networks in neonates. Pregnant women were interviewed beginning in mid-pregnancy regarding their methamphetamine use. Diffusion weighted imaging sets were acquired for 23 non-sedated neonates. White matter bundles associated with pairs of target regions within five networks (commissural fibers, left and right projection fibers, and left and right association fibers) were estimated using probabilistic tractography, and fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusion measures determined within each connection. Multiple regression analyses showed that increasing methamphetamine exposure was significantly associated with reduced FA in all five networks, after control for potential confounders. Increased exposure was associated with lower axial diffusivity in the right association fiber network and with increased radial diffusivity in the right projection and left and right association fiber networks. Within the projection and association networks a subset of individual connections showed a negative correlation between FA and methamphetamine exposure. These findings are consistent with previous reports in older children and demonstrate that microstructural changes associated with methamphetamine exposure are already detectable in neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur L Warton
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Division of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Paul A Taylor
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Division of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Muizenberg, South Africa
- Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MA, USA
| | - Christopher M R Warton
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Pia Wintermark
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lilla Zöllei
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Andre J van der Kouwe
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Division of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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30
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Haider A, Gobbi L, Kretz J, Ullmer C, Brink A, Honer M, Woltering TJ, Muri D, Iding H, Bürkler M, Binder M, Bartelmus C, Knuesel I, Pacher P, Herde AM, Spinelli F, Ahmed H, Atz K, Keller C, Weber M, Schibli R, Mu L, Grether U, Ametamey SM. Identification and Preclinical Development of a 2,5,6-Trisubstituted Fluorinated Pyridine Derivative as a Radioligand for the Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptors. J Med Chem 2020; 63:10287-10306. [PMID: 32787079 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite the broad implications of the cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2) in neuroinflammatory processes, a suitable CB2-targeted probe is currently lacking in clinical routine. In this work, we synthesized 15 fluorinated pyridine derivatives and tested their binding affinities toward CB2 and CB1. With a sub-nanomolar affinity (Ki for CB2) of 0.8 nM and a remarkable selectivity factor of >12,000 over CB1, RoSMA-18-d6 exhibited outstanding in vitro performance characteristics and was radiofluorinated with an average radiochemical yield of 10.6 ± 3.8% (n = 16) and molar activities ranging from 52 to 65 GBq/μmol (radiochemical purity > 99%). [18F]RoSMA-18-d6 showed exceptional CB2 attributes as demonstrated by in vitro autoradiography, ex vivo biodistribution, and positron emission tomography (PET). Further, [18F]RoSMA-18-d6 was used to detect CB2 upregulation on postmortem human ALS spinal cord tissues. Overall, these results suggest that [18F]RoSMA-18-d6 is a promising CB2 PET radioligand for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Haider
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luca Gobbi
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Julian Kretz
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Ullmer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Brink
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Honer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas J Woltering
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dieter Muri
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hans Iding
- Pharma Technical Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Bürkler
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Binder
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Bartelmus
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Irene Knuesel
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pal Pacher
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology and Tissue Injury, National Institute of Health/NIAAA, 5625 Fishers Lane, Rockville, 20852 Maryland, United States
| | - Adrienne Müller Herde
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Spinelli
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hazem Ahmed
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kenneth Atz
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Keller
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Roger Schibli
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Linjing Mu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Grether
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simon M Ametamey
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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31
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Rodrigues MS, Ferreira C, Dias C, Pliássova A, Souza L, Ledo A, Laranjinha J, Cunha RA, Köfalvi A. An optimized spectrophotometric assay reveals increased activity of enzymes involved in 2-arachidonoyl glycerol turnover in the cerebral cortex of a rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 55:1051-1062. [PMID: 32813905 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is implicated in a plethora of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, it is technically challenging to assess the turnover of 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), the principal endocannabinoid molecule in the brain. Two recent studies showed that diacylglycerol lipase α (DAGLα), an enzyme chiefly responsible for the cerebral production of 2-AG, also accepts the surrogate chromogenic substrate 4-nitrophenyl butyrate (4-NPB). Here, we aimed to optimize this spectrophotometric assay for ex vivo brain tissue, in particular, rat cerebrocortical homogenates, to measure the activity of the major enzymes responsible for the production and degradation of 2-AG. The initial velocity of 4-NPB hydrolysis was dependent on protein, substrate, and Ca2+ concentrations, and was sensitive to the non-selective serine hydrolase inhibitor, methoxy arachidonyl fluorophosphonate, the DAGLα inhibitors, OMDM188, tetrahydrolipstatin, and RHC80267, as well as the monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitor, JZL184, respectively. Next, we tested the usefulness of this assay in ex vivo brain tissue of rat models of human health conditions known to affect cerebrocortical 2-AG production, i.e. pathological stress and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). In rats submitted to chronic restraint stress, cortical CB1 R density was significantly decreased, as assessed with radioligand binding. Nevertheless, 4-NPB hydrolysis remained at control levels. However, in rats 4 weeks after intracerebroventricular injection with streptozotocin - an established model of sporadic AD -, both CB1 R levels and 4-NPB hydrolysis and its DAGL- and MAGL-dependent fractions were significantly increased. Altogether, we optimized a simple complementary ex vivo technique for the quantification of DAGL and MAGL activity in brain samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde S Rodrigues
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Ferreira
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cândida Dias
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Anna Pliássova
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lisiane Souza
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Ledo
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Laranjinha
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo A Cunha
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Attila Köfalvi
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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32
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Blázquez C, Ruiz-Calvo A, Bajo-Grañeras R, Baufreton JM, Resel E, Varilh M, Pagano Zottola AC, Mariani Y, Cannich A, Rodríguez-Navarro JA, Marsicano G, Galve-Roperh I, Bellocchio L, Guzmán M. Inhibition of striatonigral autophagy as a link between cannabinoid intoxication and impairment of motor coordination. eLife 2020; 9:56811. [PMID: 32773031 PMCID: PMC7417168 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of cannabis is rapidly expanding worldwide. Thus, innovative studies aimed to identify, understand and potentially reduce cannabis-evoked harms are warranted. Here, we found that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, disrupts autophagy selectively in the striatum, a brain area that controls motor behavior, both in vitro and in vivo. Boosting autophagy, either pharmacologically (with temsirolimus) or by dietary intervention (with trehalose), rescued the Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced impairment of motor coordination in mice. The combination of conditional knockout mouse models and viral vector-mediated autophagy-modulating strategies in vivo showed that cannabinoid CB1 receptors located on neurons belonging to the direct (striatonigral) pathway are required for the motor-impairing activity of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol by inhibiting local autophagy. Taken together, these findings identify inhibition of autophagy as an unprecedented mechanistic link between cannabinoids and motor performance, and suggest that activators of autophagy might be considered as potential therapeutic tools to treat specific cannabinoid-evoked behavioral alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Blázquez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Ruiz-Calvo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Bajo-Grañeras
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jérôme M Baufreton
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and University of Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Bordeaux, France
| | - Eva Resel
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marjorie Varilh
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, Bordeaux, France
| | - Antonio C Pagano Zottola
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, Bordeaux, France
| | - Yamuna Mariani
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, Bordeaux, France
| | - Astrid Cannich
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Giovanni Marsicano
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ismael Galve-Roperh
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luigi Bellocchio
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, Bordeaux, France
| | - Manuel Guzmán
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
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Zamberletti E, Rubino T. Impact of Endocannabinoid System Manipulation on Neurodevelopmental Processes Relevant to Schizophrenia. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 6:616-626. [PMID: 32855107 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia has received much support from epidemiological and neuropathological studies and provides a framework to explain how early developmental abnormalities might manifest as psychosis in early adulthood. According to this theory, the onset of schizophrenia is likely the result of a complex interplay between a genetic predisposition and environmental factors whose respective influence might contribute to the etiology and progression of the disorder. The two most sensitive windows for neurodevelopment are the prenatal/perinatal and the adolescent windows, both of which are characterized by specific processes impinging upon brain structure and functionality, whose alterations may contribute to the onset of schizophrenia. An increasing number of articles suggest the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the modulation of at least some of these processes, especially in the prenatal/perinatal window. Thus, it is not surprising that disturbing the physiological role of endocannabinoid signaling in these sensitive windows might alter the correct formation of neuronal networks, eventually predisposing to neuropsychiatric diseases later in life. We review the most recent preclinical studies that evaluated the impact of endocannabinoid system modulation in the two sensitive developmental windows on neurodevelopmental processes that possess a specific relevance to schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Zamberletti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences and Neuroscience Center, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy
| | - Tiziana Rubino
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences and Neuroscience Center, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy.
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Walker OS, Ragos R, Gurm H, Lapierre M, May LL, Raha S. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol disrupts mitochondrial function and attenuates syncytialization in human placental BeWo cells. Physiol Rep 2020; 8:e14476. [PMID: 32628362 PMCID: PMC7336740 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The psychoactive component in cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, can restrict fetal growth and development. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol has been shown to negatively impact cellular proliferation and target organelles like the mitochondria resulting in reduced cellular respiration. In the placenta, mitochondrial dysfunction leading to oxidative stress prevents proper placental development and function. A key element of placental development is the proliferation and fusion of cytotrophoblasts to form the syncytium that comprises the materno-fetal interface. The impact of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on this process is not well understood. To elucidate the nature of the mitochondrial dysfunction and its consequences on trophoblast fusion, we treated undifferentiated and differentiated BeWo human trophoblast cells, with 20 µM delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol for 48 hr. At this concentration, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on BeWo cells reduced the expression of markers involved in syncytialization and mitochondrial dynamics, but had no effect on cell viability. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol significantly attenuated the process of syncytialization and induced oxidative stress responses in BeWo cells. Importantly, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol also caused a reduction in the secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin and the production of human placental lactogen and insulin growth factor 2, three hormones known to be important in facilitating fetal growth. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol attenuated mitochondrial respiration, depleted adenosine triphosphate, and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential. These changes were also associated with an increase in cellular reactive oxygen species, and the expression of stress responsive chaperones, HSP60 and HSP70. These findings have important implications for understanding the role of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced mitochondrial injury and the role this might play in compromising human pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- O’Llenecia S. Walker
- Department of PediatricsMcMaster UniversityHamiltonONCanada
- The Graduate Program in Medical SciencesMcMaster UniversityHamiltonONCanada
| | | | - Harmeet Gurm
- Department of PediatricsMcMaster UniversityHamiltonONCanada
| | | | - Linda L. May
- Department of PediatricsMcMaster UniversityHamiltonONCanada
| | - Sandeep Raha
- Department of PediatricsMcMaster UniversityHamiltonONCanada
- The Graduate Program in Medical SciencesMcMaster UniversityHamiltonONCanada
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35
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Prenatal THC exposure raises kynurenic acid levels in the prefrontal cortex of adult rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 100:109883. [PMID: 32032697 PMCID: PMC7260707 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis remains one of the most widely used illicit drugs during pregnancy. The main psychoactive component of marijuana (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC) is correlated with untoward physiological effects in the offspring. Neurobehavioral and cognitive impairments have been reported in longitudinal studies on children and adolescents prenatally exposed to marijuana, and a link to psychiatric disorders has been proposed. Interestingly, the deleterious effects of prenatal cannabis use are similar to those observed in adult rats prenatally exposed to (L)-kynurenine, the direct bioprecursor of the neuroactive metabolite kynurenic acid (KYNA). We therefore investigated whether alterations in KYNA levels in the rat brain might play a role in the long-term consequences of prenatal cannabinoid exposure. Pregnant Wistar rats were treated daily with THC [5 mg/kg, p.o.] from gestational day (GD)5 through GD20. Using in vivo microdialysis in the medial prefrontal cortex, adult animals were then used to determine the extracellular levels of KYNA and glutamate. Compared to controls, extracellular basal KYNA levels were higher, and basal glutamate levels were lower, in prenatally THC-exposed rats. These rats also showed abnormal short-term memory. Following an additional acute challenge with a low dose of kynurenine (5 mg/kg i.p.) in adulthood, the increase in extracellular KYNA levels in the mPFC was more pronounced in in prenatally THC-exposed rats. These effects could be causally related to the cognitive dysfunction seen in prenatally THC-exposed rats. In the translational realm, these experiments raise the prospect of prevention of KYNA neosynthesis as a promising novel approach to combat some of the detrimental long-term effects of prenatal cannabis use.
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36
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Roncero C, Valriberas-Herrero I, Mezzatesta-Gava M, Villegas JL, Aguilar L, Grau-López L. Cannabis use during pregnancy and its relationship with fetal developmental outcomes and psychiatric disorders. A systematic review. Reprod Health 2020; 17:25. [PMID: 32066469 PMCID: PMC7027300 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-020-0880-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study analyze factors associated to cannabis use in pregnant women, its perceived availability, its risk perception and the relationship between prenatal exposure to cannabis and developmental and mental disorders. OBJECTIVES We present a review of the literature on cannabis use among pregnant women. The objective is to analyze factors associated to cannabis use during pregnancy and assess the potential effects of prenatal exposure to cannabis on the development of the fetus and the mental health of those exposed. METHODS Systematic review of studies on the maternal use of cannabis and the relationship between early exposure and the development of psychiatric disorders in the PubMed database until July 2018 in English and Spanish with the following keywords: Marijuana, Cannabinoids, Mental disorders, Pregnancy, Prenatal Cannabis Exposure, Risk factors. RESULTS The use of cannabis among pregnant women is frequent but it has not been extensively researched. Prenatal exposure to cannabis may be associated with affective symptoms and ADHD. CONCLUSIONS Mental healthcare professionals who treat women during their fertile life need to be able to explain the relationship between prenatal exposure to cannabis and the presence of developmental and mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Roncero
- Psychiatric Service, University of Salamanca Health Care Complex, Salamanca, Spain. .,Institute of Biomedicine of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Isabel Valriberas-Herrero
- Psychiatric Service, University of Salamanca Health Care Complex, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Marcela Mezzatesta-Gava
- Multidisciplinary Unit of Autism Spectrum Disorder (UnimTEA), Mental Health Department, Sant Joan de Deu Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José L Villegas
- Psychiatric Service, University of Salamanca Health Care Complex, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Lourdes Aguilar
- Psychiatric Service, University of Salamanca Health Care Complex, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Lara Grau-López
- Addiction and Dual Diagnosis Unit, Psychiatric Service, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain.,Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Autonomus University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Manduca A, Servadio M, Melancia F, Schiavi S, Manzoni OJ, Trezza V. Sex-specific behavioural deficits induced at early life by prenatal exposure to the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55, 212-2 depend on mGlu5 receptor signalling. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:449-463. [PMID: 31658362 PMCID: PMC6989958 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Marijuana is the illicit drug most commonly used among pregnant and breastfeeding women. Different studies reported long-term adverse effects induced by in utero exposure to the main component of marijuana, Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), both in rodents and in humans. However, little is known about any potential sex-dependent effects of marijuana consumption during pregnancy on newborns at early developmental ages. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We studied the effects of prenatal exposure to the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (WIN; 0.5 mg·kg-1 from GD5 to GD20) on the emotional reactivity and cognitive performance of male and female rat offspring from infancy through adolescence and tested the role of mGlu5 receptor signalling in the observed effects. KEY RESULTS Prenatally WIN-exposed male infant pups emitted less isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations compared with male control pups, when separated from the dam and siblings and showed increased locomotor activity while females were spared. These effects were normalized when male pups were treated with the positive allosteric modulator of mGlu5 receptor CDPPB. When tested at the prepubertal and pubertal periods, WIN-prenatally exposed rats of both sexes did not show any difference in social play behaviour, anxiety and temporal order memory. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS We reveal a previously undisclosed sexual divergence in the consequences of fetal cannabinoids on newborns at early developmental ages, which is dependent on mGlu5 receptor signalling. These results provide new impetus for the urgent need to investigate the functional and behavioural substrates of prenatal cannabinoid exposure in both the male offspring and the female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Manduca
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and TechnologiesUniversity “Roma Tre”RomeItaly
- INSERM, INMEDAix Marseille UniversitéMarseilleFrance
- Cannalab, Cannabinoids Neuroscience Research International Associated Laboratory, INSERMIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Michela Servadio
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and TechnologiesUniversity “Roma Tre”RomeItaly
| | - Francesca Melancia
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and TechnologiesUniversity “Roma Tre”RomeItaly
| | - Sara Schiavi
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and TechnologiesUniversity “Roma Tre”RomeItaly
| | - Olivier J. Manzoni
- INSERM, INMEDAix Marseille UniversitéMarseilleFrance
- Cannalab, Cannabinoids Neuroscience Research International Associated Laboratory, INSERMIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and TechnologiesUniversity “Roma Tre”RomeItaly
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38
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Cook JL, Blake JM. Cannabis: Implications for Pregnancy, Fetal Development, and Longer-Term Health Outcomes. JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY CANADA 2019; 40:1204-1207. [PMID: 30268315 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jocelynn L Cook
- The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, Ottawa, ON.
| | - Jennifer M Blake
- The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, Ottawa, ON
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39
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Frau R, Miczán V, Traccis F, Aroni S, Pongor CI, Saba P, Serra V, Sagheddu C, Fanni S, Congiu M, Devoto P, Cheer JF, Katona I, Melis M. Prenatal THC exposure produces a hyperdopaminergic phenotype rescued by pregnenolone. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:1975-1985. [PMID: 31611707 PMCID: PMC6884689 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0512-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Increased legal availability of cannabis has led to a common misconception that it is a safe natural remedy for, amongst others, pregnancy-related ailments like morning sickness. Emerging clinical evidence, however, indicates that prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) predisposes offspring to various neuropsychiatric disorders linked to aberrant dopaminergic function. Yet, our knowledge of how cannabis exposure affects the maturation of this neuromodulatory system remains limited. Here, we show that male, but not female, offspring of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-exposed dams, a rat PCE model, exhibit extensive molecular and synaptic changes in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area, including altered excitatory-to-inhibitory balance and switched polarity of long-term synaptic plasticity. The resulting hyperdopaminergic state leads to increased behavioral sensitivity to acute THC during pre-adolescence. The FDA-approved neurosteroid pregnenolone rescues synaptic defects and normalizes dopaminergic activity and behavior in PCE offspring, suggesting a therapeutic approach for offspring exposed to cannabis during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Frau
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Vivien Miczán
- Momentum Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Francesco Traccis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Sonia Aroni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Csaba I Pongor
- Nikon Center of Excellence for Neuronal Imaging, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Pierluigi Saba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Valeria Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Claudia Sagheddu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Silvia Fanni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Mauro Congiu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Paola Devoto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - István Katona
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Miriam Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy.
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40
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Scheyer AF, Melis M, Trezza V, Manzoni OJJ. Consequences of Perinatal Cannabis Exposure. Trends Neurosci 2019; 42:871-884. [PMID: 31604585 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2019.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis exposure during the perinatal period results in varied and significant consequences in affected offspring. The prevalence of detrimental outcomes of perinatal cannabis exposure is likely to increase in tandem with the broadening of legalization and acceptance of the drug. As such, it is crucial to highlight the immediate and protracted consequences of cannabis exposure on pre- and postnatal development. Here, we identify lasting changes in neurons' learning flexibility (synaptic plasticity) and epigenetic misregulation in animal models of perinatal cannabinoid exposure (using synthetic cannabinoids or active components of the cannabis plant), in addition to significant alterations in social behavior and executive functions. These findings are supported by epidemiological data indicating similar behavioral outcomes throughout life in human offspring exposed to cannabis during pregnancy. Further, we indicate important lingering questions regarding accurate modeling of perinatal cannabis exposure as well as the need for sex- and age-dependent outcome measures in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Scheyer
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Provence, France; Cannalab, Cannabinoids Neuroscience Research International Associated Laboratory, INSERM-Aix-Marseille University, Provence, France/Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Miriam Melis
- Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University 'Roma Tre', Rome, Italy
| | - Olivier J J Manzoni
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Provence, France; Cannalab, Cannabinoids Neuroscience Research International Associated Laboratory, INSERM-Aix-Marseille University, Provence, France/Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
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41
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Pinson MR, Miranda RC. Noncoding RNAs in development and teratology, with focus on effects of cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, and ethanol. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:1308-1319. [PMID: 31356004 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Completion of the Human Genome Project has led to the identification of a large number of transcription start sites that are not paired with protein-coding genes, supporting the growing recognition of the abundance of encoded nonprotein-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their importance for speciation and species-specific development. Present in both plants and animals, ncRNAs vary in size, function, primary sequence, and secondary structure. While microRNAs (miRNAs) are the best known, there are a number of other ncRNAs (long[er] nonprotein-coding RNA, pseudogenes, circular RNAs, and so on) that have been shown to play an important role in the development either directly or via networks of proteins and other ncRNAs, including modulating the impact of miRNAs. Furthermore, these ncRNAs and their developmental regulatory networks are sensitive to teratogens such as ethanol, cannabis, cocaine, and nicotine. A better understanding of the developmental role of ncRNAs and their capacity to mediate teratogenesis is a necessary step in efforts to minimize the long-term consequences of developmental exposures to drugs-of-abuse. Moreover, with increasing awareness of the prevalence of polydrug use, experimental models will need to incorporate more complex drug exposure paradigms into meaningful assessments of developmental ncRNA function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 8447 Riverside Pkwy Suite 1005 MREB, Bryan, Texas
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 8447 Riverside Pkwy Suite 1005 MREB, Bryan, Texas
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42
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Cannabis use during pregnancy: Are we at the verge of defining a "fetal cannabis spectrum disorder"? Med Hypotheses 2019; 124:53-55. [PMID: 30798916 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis is probably the drug most commonly used globally since ancient times. Following the trend of legalization of access to cannabis in several Western countries, its use has increased in North America over the past few years. In spite of warnings of the potential hazards associated with in-utero exposure to cannabis, approximately 10% of pregnant women in an American study reported using cannabis in recent years, and most of them on a daily basis. Significant effects of prenatal cannabis exposure have been found on children's sleep, cognitive functions (memory and scholastic skills), as well as on executive (frontal lobe) functions (reasoning, attention, impulsivity, and motivation), and affective (depression) and anxiety symptoms throughout the stages of development. Following the presentation of two case vignettes, we integrate the published information on outcomes of maternal use of cannabis during pregnancy on the developing fetus and the "soft" neurological deficits and neuro-behavioral disturbances manifested by them from early childhood and evolving to peaks in adolescence. Taken together, these data serve to define what we call a heretofore unspecified "fetal cannabis spectrum disorder".
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43
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Dong C, Chen J, Harrington A, Vinod KY, Hegde ML, Hegde VL. Cannabinoid exposure during pregnancy and its impact on immune function. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:729-743. [PMID: 30374520 PMCID: PMC6632091 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2955-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoids are the most commonly abused illicit drugs worldwide. While cannabis can be beneficial for certain heath conditions, abuse of potent synthetic cannabinoids has been on the rise. Exposure to cannabinoids is also prevalent in women of child-bearing age and pregnant women. These compounds can cross the placental barrier and directly affect the fetus. They mediate their effects primarily through G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. In addition to significant neurological effects, cannabinoids can trigger robust immunomodulation by altering cytokine levels, causing apoptosis of lymphoid cells and inducing suppressor cells of the immune system. Profound effects of cannabinoids on the immune system as discussed in this review, suggest that maternal exposure during pregnancy could lead to dysregulation of innate and adaptive immune system of developing fetus and offspring potentially leading to weakening of immune defenses against infections and cancer later in life. Emerging evidence also indicates the underlying role of epigenetic mechanisms causing long-lasting impact following cannabinoid exposure in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Dong
- School of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Jingwen Chen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Amy Harrington
- School of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - K Yaragudri Vinod
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Emotional Brain Institute, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Muralidhar L Hegde
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institute for Academic Medicine and Research Institute, The Houston Methodist Research Institute (HMRI), 6550 Fannin St, Smith 08-077, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Venkatesh L Hegde
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institute for Academic Medicine and Research Institute, The Houston Methodist Research Institute (HMRI), 6550 Fannin St, Smith 08-077, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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44
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James Huntsman R, Tang-Wai R, Acton B, Alcorn J, William Lyon A, David Mousseau D, Seifert B, Laprairie R, Prosser-Loose E, Ondrej Hanuš L. Cannabis for the treatment of paediatric epilepsy? An update for Canadian paediatricians. Paediatr Child Health 2018; 23:368-373. [PMID: 30455572 DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxy036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The plant Cannabis sativa produces over 140 known cannabinoids. These chemicals generate considerable interest in the medical research community for their possible application to several intractable disease conditions. Recent reports have prompted parents to strongly consider Cannabis products to treat their children with drug resistant epilepsy. Physicians, though, are reluctant to prescribe Cannabis products due to confusion about their regulatory status and limited clinical data supporting their use. We provide the general paediatrician with a brief review of cannabinoid biology, the literature regarding their use in children with drug resistant epilepsy, the current Health Canada and Canadian Paediatric Society recommendations and also the regulations from the physician regulatory bodies for each province and territory. Given the complexities of conducting research on Cannabis products for children with epilepsy, we also discuss outstanding research objectives that must be addressed to support Cannabis products as an accepted treatment option for children with refractory epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard James Huntsman
- Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.,Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Richard Tang-Wai
- Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.,Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - Bryan Acton
- Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatoon Area and Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Jane Alcorn
- Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.,College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Andrew William Lyon
- Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Darrell David Mousseau
- Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.,Cell Signalling Laboratory, Departments of Psychiatry and Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Blair Seifert
- Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.,Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Robert Laprairie
- Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.,College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Erin Prosser-Loose
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| | - Lumir Ondrej Hanuš
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Ein Kerem Campus, Jerusalem
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45
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Sharapova SR, Phillips E, Sirocco K, Kaminski JW, Leeb RT, Rolle I. Effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on neuropsychological outcomes in children aged 1-11 years: A systematic review. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2018; 32:512-532. [PMID: 30335203 PMCID: PMC6261687 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Normalisation of medicinal and recreational marijuana use has increased the importance of fully understanding effects of marijuana use on individual-and population-level health, including prenatal exposure effects on child development. We undertook a systematic review of the literature to examine the long-term effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on neuropsychological function in children aged 1-11 years. METHODS Primary research publications were searched from Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL EbscoHost, Cochrane Library, Global Health and ERIC (1980-2018). Eligible articles documented neuropsychological outcomes in children 1-11 years who had been prenatally exposed to marijuana. Studies of exposure to multiple prenatal drugs were included if results for marijuana exposure were reported separately from other substances. Data abstraction was independently performed by two reviewers using a standardised protocol. RESULTS The eligible articles (n = 21) on data from seven independent longitudinal studies had high quality based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Some analyses found associations (P < 0.05) between prenatal marijuana exposure and decreased performance on memory, impulse control, problem-solving, quantitative reasoning, verbal development and visual analysis tests; as well as increased performance on attention and global motion perception tests. Limitations included concurrent use of other substances among study participants, potential under-reporting and publication biases, non-generalisable samples and limited published results preventing direct comparison of analyses. CONCLUSIONS The specific effects of prenatal marijuana exposure remain unclear and warrant further research. The larger number of neuropsychological domains that exhibit decreased versus increased psychological and behavioural functions suggests that exposure to marijuana may be harmful for brain development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saida R. Sharapova
- Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA
| | - Elyse Phillips
- Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA
| | - Karen Sirocco
- Prevention Research Branch, Division of Epidemiology,
Services and Prevention, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of
Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Jennifer W. Kaminski
- Division of Human Development and Disability, National
Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Rebecca T. Leeb
- Division of Human Development and Disability, National
Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Italia Rolle
- Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA
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46
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Gartstein MA, Skinner MK. Prenatal influences on temperament development: The role of environmental epigenetics. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:1269-1303. [PMID: 29229018 PMCID: PMC5997513 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417001730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This review summarizes current knowledge and outlines future directions relevant to questions concerning environmental epigenetics and the processes that contribute to temperament development. Links between prenatal adversity, epigenetic programming, and early manifestations of temperament are important in their own right, also informing our understanding of biological foundations for social-emotional development. In addition, infant temperament attributes represent key etiological factors in the onset of developmental psychopathology, and studies elucidating their prenatal foundations expand our understanding of developmental origins of health and disease. Prenatal adversity can take many forms, and this overview is focused on the environmental effects of stress, toxicants, substance use/psychotropic medication, and nutrition. Dysregulation associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disruptive disorders was noted in the context of maternal substance use and toxicant exposures during gestation, as well as stress. Although these links can be made based on the existing literature, currently few studies directly connect environmental influences, epigenetic programming, and changes in brain development/behavior. The chain of events starting with environmental inputs and resulting in alterations to gene expression, physiology, and behavior of the organism is driven by epigenetics. Epigenetics provides the molecular mechanism of how environmental factors impact development and subsequent health and disease, including early brain and temperament development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. Gartstein
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA-99164-4820, USA
| | - Michael K. Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA-99164-4236, USA
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47
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Biospecimens and the ABCD study: Rationale, methods of collection, measurement and early data. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 32:97-106. [PMID: 29606560 PMCID: PMC6487488 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Biospecimen collection in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study – of hair samples, shed deciduous (baby) teeth, and body fluids – will serve dual functions of screening for study eligibility, and providing measures of biological processes thought to predict or correlate with key study outcomes on brain and cognitive development. Biosamples are being collected annually to screen for recency of drug use prior to the neuroimaging or cognitive testing visit, and to store for the following future studies: (1) on the effects of exposure to illicit and recreational drugs (including alcohol and nicotine); (2) of pubertal hormones on brain and cognitive developmental trajectories; (3) on the contribution of genomics and epigenomics to child and adolescent development and behavioral outcomes; and (4) with pre- and post-natal exposure to environmental neurotoxicants and drugs of abuse measured from novel tooth analyses. The present manuscript describes the rationales for inclusion and selection of the specific biospecimens, methodological considerations for each measure, future plans for assessment of biospecimens during follow-up visits, and preliminary ABCD data to illustrate methodological considerations.
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48
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Perucca E. Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Epilepsy: Hard Evidence at Last? J Epilepsy Res 2017; 7:61-76. [PMID: 29344464 PMCID: PMC5767492 DOI: 10.14581/jer.17012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The interest in cannabis-based products for the treatment of refractory epilepsy has skyrocketed in recent years. Marijuana and other cannabis products with high content in Δ(9) - tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), utilized primarily for recreational purposes, are generally unsuitable for this indication, primarily because THC is associated with many undesired effects. Compared with THC, cannabidiol (CBD) shows a better defined anticonvulsant profile in animal models and is largely devoid of adverse psychoactive effects and abuse liability. Over the years, this has led to an increasing use of CBD-enriched extracts in seizure disorders, particularly in children. Although improvement in seizure control and other benefits on sleep and behavior have been often reported, interpretation of the data is made difficult by the uncontrolled nature of these observations. Evidence concerning the potential anti-seizure efficacy of cannabinoids reached a turning point in the last 12 months, with the completion of three high-quality placebo-controlled adjunctive-therapy trials of a purified CBD product in patients with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. In these studies, CBD was found to be superior to placebo in reducing the frequency of convulsive (tonic-clonic, tonic, clonic, and atonic) seizures in patients with Dravet syndrome, and the frequency of drop seizures in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. For the first time, there is now class 1 evidence that adjunctive use of CBD improves seizure control in patients with specific epilepsy syndromes. Based on currently available information, however, it is unclear whether the improved seizure control described in these trials was related to a direct action of CBD, or was mediated by drug interactions with concomitant medications, particularly a marked increased in plasma levels of N-desmethylclobazam, the active metabolite of clobazam. Clarification of the relative contribution of CBD to improved seizure outcome requires re-assessment of trial data for the subgroup of patients not comedicated with clobazam, or the conduction of further studies controlling for the confounding effect of this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Perucca
- Division of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy
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49
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Manning Meurer M, Chakrala K, Gowda D, Burns C, Kelly R, Schlabritz-Loutsevitch N. A case of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome with Heliobacter pylori and preeclampsia during pregnancy. Subst Abus 2017; 39:9-13. [PMID: 28723278 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2017.1356790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The condition termed cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) was characterized a decade ago by Allen et al. and includes cyclic episodes of nausea and vomiting and the learned behavior of hot bathing in individuals with chronic cannabis abuse. During pregnancy, the differential diagnosis of this syndrome is challenging, since it can be masked by typical symptoms of early pregnancy or by hyperemesis gravidarum, a complication of early pregnancy associated with excessive nausea and vomiting. CASE DESCRIPTION The authors herein describe the case of a 21-year-old primigravida patient diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum at 6 weeks of gestation and with preeclampsia at 35 weeks. At 30 weeks of gestation, a drug screen was performed that was positive for cannabis; therefore, a diagnosis of CHS was made. After labor induction, the patient delivered an infant who developed normally and had a negative drug test of the umbilical cord blood. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed 9 days post delivery, with biopsies taken of the duodenal, gastric, and esophageal tissues. Moderate chronic gastritis with lymphoid aggregates and slight acute inflammation were noticed, whereas no malignancy, dysplasia, or goblet cell metaplasia was detected. A number of Helicobacter-like organisms were identified by H. pylori immunostaining. CONCLUSION Presented here is the first case reporting an association of chronic cannabis use with H. pylori colonization and preeclampsia in pregnancy, which brings to light the possible involvement of a cannabinoid-related pathway in the link between pregnancy-specific complications and bacterial colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline Manning Meurer
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin , Odessa , Texas , USA
| | - Kalyan Chakrala
- b Department of Internal Medicine , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin , Odessa , Texas , USA
| | - Dinesh Gowda
- c Department of Pediatrics , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin , Odessa , Texas , USA
| | - Charles Burns
- d Department of Pathology , Medical Center Hospital , Odessa , Texas , USA
| | - Randall Kelly
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin , Odessa , Texas , USA
| | - Natalia Schlabritz-Loutsevitch
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin , Odessa , Texas , USA
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50
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Campos AC, Fogaça MV, Scarante FF, Joca SRL, Sales AJ, Gomes FV, Sonego AB, Rodrigues NS, Galve-Roperh I, Guimarães FS. Plastic and Neuroprotective Mechanisms Involved in the Therapeutic Effects of Cannabidiol in Psychiatric Disorders. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:269. [PMID: 28588483 PMCID: PMC5441138 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Beneficial effects of cannabidiol (CBD) have been described for a wide range of psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, psychosis, and depression. The mechanisms responsible for these effects, however, are still poorly understood. Similar to clinical antidepressant or atypical antipsychotic drugs, recent findings clearly indicate that CBD, either acutely or repeatedly administered, induces plastic changes. For example, CBD attenuates the decrease in hippocampal neurogenesis and dendrite spines density induced by chronic stress and prevents microglia activation and the decrease in the number of parvalbumin-positive GABA neurons in a pharmacological model of schizophrenia. More recently, it was found that CBD modulates cell fate regulatory pathways such as autophagy and others critical pathways for neuronal survival in neurodegenerative experimental models, suggesting the potential benefit of CBD treatment for psychiatric/cognitive symptoms associated with neurodegeneration. These changes and their possible association with CBD beneficial effects in psychiatric disorders are reviewed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alline C Campos
- Department of Pharmacology, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Manoela V Fogaça
- Department of Pharmacology, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Franciele F Scarante
- Department of Pharmacology, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Sâmia R L Joca
- Department of Physical and Chemical, School of Pharmaceutical Science of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Amanda J Sales
- Department of Physical and Chemical, School of Pharmaceutical Science of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Felipe V Gomes
- Department of Neuroscience, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Andreza B Sonego
- Department of Pharmacology, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Naielly S Rodrigues
- Department of Pharmacology, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ismael Galve-Roperh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense UniversityMadrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto de Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación SanitariaMadrid, Spain
| | - Francisco S Guimarães
- Department of Pharmacology, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
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