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Albaugh MD, Owens MM, Juliano A, Ottino-Gonzalez J, Cupertino R, Cao Z, Mackey S, Lepage C, Rioux P, Evans A, Banaschewski T, Bokde ALW, Conrod P, Desrivières S, Flor H, Grigis A, Gowland P, Heinz A, Ittermann B, Martinot JL, Martinot MLP, Artiges E, Nees F, Orfanos DP, Paus T, Poustka L, Millenet S, Fröhner JH, Smolka MN, Walter H, Whelan R, Schumann G, Potter A, Garavan H. Differential associations of adolescent versus young adult cannabis initiation with longitudinal brain change and behavior. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5173-5182. [PMID: 37369720 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02148-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Leveraging ~10 years of prospective longitudinal data on 704 participants, we examined the effects of adolescent versus young adult cannabis initiation on MRI-assessed cortical thickness development and behavior. Data were obtained from the IMAGEN study conducted across eight European sites. We identified IMAGEN participants who reported being cannabis-naïve at baseline and had data available at baseline, 5-year, and 9-year follow-up visits. Cannabis use was assessed with the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Drugs. T1-weighted MR images were processed through the CIVET pipeline. Cannabis initiation occurring during adolescence (14-19 years) and young adulthood (19-22 years) was associated with differing patterns of longitudinal cortical thickness change. Associations between adolescent cannabis initiation and cortical thickness change were observed primarily in dorso- and ventrolateral portions of the prefrontal cortex. In contrast, cannabis initiation occurring between 19 and 22 years of age was associated with thickness change in temporal and cortical midline areas. Follow-up analysis revealed that longitudinal brain change related to adolescent initiation persisted into young adulthood and partially mediated the association between adolescent cannabis use and past-month cocaine, ecstasy, and cannabis use at age 22. Extent of cannabis initiation during young adulthood (from 19 to 22 years) had an indirect effect on psychotic symptoms at age 22 through thickness change in temporal areas. Results suggest that developmental timing of cannabis exposure may have a marked effect on neuroanatomical correlates of cannabis use as well as associated behavioral sequelae. Critically, this work provides a foundation for neurodevelopmentally informed models of cannabis exposure in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Albaugh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
| | - Max M Owens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Anthony Juliano
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | | | - Renata Cupertino
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Zhipeng Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Scott Mackey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Claude Lepage
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre Rioux
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alan Evans
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arun L W Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Patricia Conrod
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, SGDP Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, 68131, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Antoine Grigis
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Penny Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernd Ittermann
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig and Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U A10 "Trajectoires développementales en psychiatrie", Université Paris-Saclay, Ecole Normale supérieure Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Centre Borelli, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U A10 "Trajectoires développementales en psychiatrie"; Université Paris-Saclay, Ecole Normale supérieure Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Centre Borelli; and AP-HP.Sorbonne Université, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Eric Artiges
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U1299 "Developmental trajectories & psychiatry""; Université Paris-Saclay, Ecole Normale supérieure Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Centre Borelli; Gif-sur-Yvette; and Etablissement Public de Santé (EPS) Barthélemy Durand, 91700, Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Tomáš Paus
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Centre Hospitaliere Universitaire Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabina Millenet
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Juliane H Fröhner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael N Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, SGDP Centre, King's College London, London, UK
- PONS Research Group, Dept of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charite Mitte, Humboldt University, Berlin and Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Alexandra Potter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
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Ho BC, Barry AB, Koeppel JA, Macleod J, Boyd A, David A, O’Leary DS. Recreational Marijuana Use, Adolescent Cognitive Development, and Schizophrenia Susceptibility. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:222-232. [PMID: 37124347 PMCID: PMC10140454 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We investigated how low marijuana (MJ) use levels, the typical use pattern in most adolescent users, affect cognitive maturation and schizophrenia risk. Methods In two complementary adolescent samples where the majority reported minimal MJ use, we compared cognitive performances before and after MJ use initiation. The Iowa sample (40 first-degree relatives and 54 second-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia and 117 control subjects with no schizophrenia family history) underwent a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests at 0, 18, and 36 months. Based on self-administered Timeline Followback interviews, 26.5% of adolescents had emergent MJ use (eMJ) during follow-up. The second sample (n = 3463), derived from a birth cohort, received substance use and sustained attention assessments between ages 10 and 15 years. Mixed linear models and regression analyses tested the effects of eMJ on longitudinal changes in cognitive performance. Results In the Iowa sample, longitudinal changes in 5 of 8 cognitive domains were significantly associated with eMJ. On sustained attention, visuospatial working memory, and executive sequencing, adolescents with eMJ showed less age-expected improved performance. In addition, first-degree relatives with eMJ were less improved on processing speed and executive reasoning than first-degree relatives without eMJ. In the birth cohort, greater intraindividual variability in reaction times (indicative of poorer sustained attention) was significantly associated with more frequent MJ use and with recreational use levels. Conclusions Nonheavy MJ use disrupts normal adolescent maturation and compounds aberrant adolescent maturation associated with familial schizophrenia risk. These findings underscore the importance of reducing adolescent MJ access in the context of increased availability to high-potency MJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beng-Choon Ho
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Amy B. Barry
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Julie A. Koeppel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - John Macleod
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Andy Boyd
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony David
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel S. O’Leary
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
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Abela N, Haywood K, Di Giovanni G. Alcohol and cannabinoid binges and daily exposure to nicotine in adolescent/young adult rats induce sex-dependent long-term appetitive instrumental learning impairment. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1129866. [PMID: 36815183 PMCID: PMC9939753 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1129866] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical developmental period, concerning anatomical, neurochemical and behavioral changes. Moreover, adolescents are more sensitive to the long-term deleterious effects of drug abuse. Binge-like consumption of alcohol and marijuana, along with tobacco smoking, is a dangerous pattern often observed in adolescents during weekends. Nevertheless, the long-term effect of their adolescent co-exposure has not been yet experimentally investigated. Long-Evans adolescent male (n = 20) and female (n = 20) rats from postnatal day 30 (P30) until P60 were daily treated with nicotine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.), and, on two consecutive 'binging days' per week (for a total of eight times), received an intragastric ethanol solution (3 g/kg) and an intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of cannabinoid 1/2 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (1.2 mg/kg). These rats were tested after treatment discontinuation at > P90 for associative food-rewarded operant learning in the two-lever conditioning chambers for six consecutive days on a fixed ratio 1 (FR1) schedule followed by another six days of daily FR2 schedule testing, after 42 days rest. We found the main effects of sex x treatment interactions in FR1 but not in FR2 experiments. Treated females show attenuated operant responses for food pellets during all FR1 and the FR2 schedule, whilst the treated males show an impairment in FR2 but not in the FR1 schedule. Moreover, the treated females' percentage of learners was significantly lower than female controls in FR1 while treated males were lower than controls in FR2. Our findings suggest that intermittent adolescent abuse of common drugs, such as alcohol and marijuana, and chronic tobacco exposure can cause significant long-term effects on motivation for natural reinforcers later in adulthood in both sexes. Females appear to be sensitive earlier to the deleterious effects of adolescent polydrug abuse, with both sexes having an increased likelihood of developing lifelong brain alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Abela
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Katie Haywood
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta,Division of Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Giuseppe Di Giovanni
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta,Division of Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Giuseppe Di Giovanni, ;
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Jalewa J, Todd J, Michie PT, Hodgson DM, Harms L. The effect of schizophrenia risk factors on mismatch responses in a rat model. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14175. [PMID: 36087044 PMCID: PMC10909418 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14175] [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: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Reduced mismatch negativity (MMN), a robust finding in schizophrenia, has prompted interest in MMN as a preclinical biomarker of schizophrenia. The rat brain can generate human-like mismatch responses (MMRs) which therefore enables the exploration of the neurobiology of reduced MMRs. Given epidemiological evidence that two developmental factors, maternal infection and adolescent cannabis use, increase the risk of schizophrenia, we determined the effect of these two developmental risk factors on rat MMR amplitude in different auditory contexts. MMRs were assessed in awake adult male and female Wistar rats that were offspring of pregnant dams treated with either a viral infection mimetic (poly I:C) inducing maternal immune activation (MIA) or saline control. In adolescence, subgroups of the prenatal treatment groups were exposed to either a synthetic cannabinoid (adolescent cannabinoid exposure: ACE) or vehicle. The context under which MMRs were obtained was manipulated by employing two different oddball paradigms, one that manipulated the physical difference between rare and common auditory stimuli, and another that manipulated the probability of the rare stimulus. The design of the multiple stimulus sequences across the two paradigms also allowed an investigation of context on MMRs to two identical stimulus sequences. Male offspring exposed to each of the risk factors for schizophrenia (MIA, ACE or both) showed a reduction in MMR, which was evident only in the probability paradigm, with no effects seen in the physical difference. Our findings highlight the importance of contextual factors induced by paradigm manipulations and sex for modeling schizophrenia-like MMN impairments in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaishree Jalewa
- School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and EnvironmentUniversity of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Juanita Todd
- School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and EnvironmentUniversity of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
- Hunter Medical Research InstituteNew Lambton HeightsNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Patricia T. Michie
- School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and EnvironmentUniversity of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
- Hunter Medical Research InstituteNew Lambton HeightsNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Deborah M. Hodgson
- School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and EnvironmentUniversity of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
- Hunter Medical Research InstituteNew Lambton HeightsNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Lauren Harms
- Hunter Medical Research InstituteNew Lambton HeightsNew South WalesAustralia
- School of Biomedical Science and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine and WellbeingUniversity of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
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Ramírez S, Miguez G, Quezada-Scholz VE, Pardo L, Alfaro F, Varas FI, Laborda MA. Behavioral effects on the offspring of rodent mothers exposed to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): A meta-analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 13:934600. [PMID: 36092118 PMCID: PMC9462465 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.934600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre and perinatal administration of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in rodents and their offspring has many effects that have been studied using different methods that have not been integrated using quantitative methods. The effect of THC administration on behavior can be better understood by meta-analytic techniques. We examined whether there is an overall effect on the behavior of the offspring when THC is administered to mothers. Eligibility criteria included experiments using an experimental design with a control group without THC, in which THC is administered to mothers during pregnancy and lactation in rodents, and in which at least one type of behavioral (locomotor, emotional or cognitive) measurement in the offspring was implemented. Cohen’s d was obtained for each study, then each individual study was weighted, and moderator analysis was performed. Analysis was performed using fixed and random effect models, and the heterogeneity was assessed by calculating Qb, I2 and the prediction interval. Furthermore, 3 sub-meta-analyses were carried out according to the type of behavior. The general analysis determined a low weighted effect size of THC on the behavior of the offspring, moderated by type of rat strain. The sub-meta-analyses showed a medium effect for cognitive effects of THC in the offspring, and a low effect on locomotor activity and emotional behavior. In addition, publication bias was not detected. More research is needed to contribute to the understanding of the effect of THC exposure on offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simón Ramírez
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Miguez
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Luis Pardo
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Alfaro
- Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universidad de Aysén, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Felipe I. Varas
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario A. Laborda
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Mario A. Laborda,
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Effects of endocannabinoid system modulation on social behaviour: A systematic review of animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104680. [PMID: 35513169 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104680] [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: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
There is a clear link between psychiatric disorders and social behaviour, and evidence suggests the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). A systematic review of preclinical literature was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed) and PsychINFO databases to examine whether pharmacological and/or genetic manipulations of the ECS alter social behaviours in wildtype (WT) animals or models of social impairment (SIM). Eighty studies were included. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using SYRCLE's RoB tool. While some variability was evident, studies most consistently found that direct cannabinoid receptor (CBR) agonism decreased social behaviours in WT animals, while indirect CBR activation via enzyme inhibition or gene-knockout increased social behaviours. Direct and, more consistently, indirect CBR activation reversed social deficits in SIM. These CBR-mediated effects were often sex- and developmental-phase-dependent and blocked by CBR antagonism. Overall, ECS enzyme inhibition may improve social behaviour in SIM, suggesting the potential usefulness of ECS enzyme inhibition as a therapeutic approach for social deficits. Future research should endeavour to elucidate ECS status in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by social deficits.
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Coleman JR, Madularu D, Ortiz RJ, Athanassiou M, Knudsen A, Alkislar I, Cai X, Kulkarni PP, Cushing BS, Ferris CF. Changes in brain structure and function following chronic exposure to inhaled vaporised cannabis during periadolescence in female and male mice: A multimodal MRI study. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13169. [PMID: 35470553 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13169] [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: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Social norms and legality surrounding the use of medical and recreational cannabis are changing rapidly. The prevalence of cannabis use in adolescence is increasing. The aim of this study was to assess any sex-based neurobiological effects of chronically inhaled, vaporised cannabis on adolescent female and male mice. METHODS Female and male mice were exposed daily to vaporised cannabis (10.3% Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC] and 0.05% cannabidiol [CBD]) or placebo from postnatal day 23 to day 51. Following cessation of treatment, mice were examined for changes in brain structure and function using noninvasive multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Data from voxel-based morphometry, diffusion weighted imaging and rest state functional connectivity were registered to and analysed with a 3D mouse atlas with 139 brain areas. Following imaging, mice were tested for their preference for a novel object. RESULTS The effects were sexually dimorphic with females showing a unique distribution and inverse correlation between measures of fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient localised to the forebrain and hindbrain. In contrast males displayed significant increased functional coupling with the thalamus, hypothalamus and brainstem reticular activating system as compared with controls. Cannabis males also presented with altered hippocampal coupling and deficits in cognitive function. CONCLUSION Chronic exposure to inhaled vaporised cannabis had significant effects on brain structure and function in early adulthood corroborating much of the literature. Females presented with changes in grey matter microarchitecture, while males showed altered functional connectivity in hippocampal circuitry and deficits in object recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R. Coleman
- Center for Translational NeuroImaging Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Dan Madularu
- Center for Translational NeuroImaging Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Richard J. Ortiz
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Texas USA
| | - Maria Athanassiou
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal Montreal Québec Canada
| | - Alexa Knudsen
- Center for Translational NeuroImaging Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Ilayda Alkislar
- Center for Translational NeuroImaging Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Xuezhu Cai
- Center for Translational NeuroImaging Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Praveen P. Kulkarni
- Center for Translational NeuroImaging Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Bruce S. Cushing
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Texas USA
| | - Craig F. Ferris
- Center for Translational NeuroImaging Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
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Simone JJ, Green MR, McCormick CM. Endocannabinoid system contributions to sex-specific adolescent neurodevelopment. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 113:110438. [PMID: 34534603 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
With an increasing number of countries and states adopting legislation permitting the use of cannabis for medical purposes, there is a growing interest among health and research professionals into the system through which cannabinoids principally act, the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Much of the seminal research into the ECS dates back only 30 years and, although there has been tremendous development within the field during this time, many questions remain. More recently, investigations have emerged examining the contributions of the ECS to normative development and the effect of altering this system during important critical periods. One such period is adolescence, a unique period during which brain and behaviours are maturing and reorganizing in preparation for adulthood, including shifts in endocannabinoid biology. The purpose of this review is to discuss findings to date regarding the maturation of the ECS during adolescence and the consequences of manipulations of the ECS during this period to normative neurodevelopmental processes, as well as highlight sex differences in ECS function, important technical considerations, and future directions. Because most of what we know is derived from preclinical studies on rodents, we provide relevant background of this model and some commentary on the translational relevance of the research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Simone
- Department of Biological Sciences, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Huxley Health Inc., 8820 Jane St., Concord, ON, L4K 2M9, Canada; eCB Consulting Inc., PO Box 652, 3 Cameron St. W., Cannington, ON L0E 1E0, Canada; Medical Cannabis Canada, 601-3500 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville, ON L6L 0B4, Canada.
| | - Matthew R Green
- eCB Consulting Inc., PO Box 652, 3 Cameron St. W., Cannington, ON L0E 1E0, Canada; Medical Cannabis Canada, 601-3500 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville, ON L6L 0B4, Canada.
| | - Cheryl M McCormick
- Department of Biological Sciences, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Department of Psychology, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada.
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Silva M, Kwok RKH. Use of Computational Toxicology Tools to Predict In Vivo Endpoints Associated with Mode of Action and the Endocannabinoid System: A Case Study with Chlorpyrifos, Chlorpyrifos-oxon and Δ9Tetrahydrocannabinol. Curr Res Toxicol 2022; 3:100064. [PMID: 35243363 PMCID: PMC8860916 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2022.100064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
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10
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Betts KS, Kisely S, Alati R. Prenatal cannabis use disorders and offspring primary and secondary educational outcomes. Addiction 2022; 117:425-432. [PMID: 34184804 DOI: 10.1111/add.15629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cannabis use is increasing among women of reproductive age, warranting a greater understanding of the impact of prenatal cannabis use on offspring developmental outcomes. We tested for a potential relationship between prenatal cannabis use disorders (CUD) and offspring educational outcomes across primary and secondary school. DESIGN Data were drawn from the New South Wales (NSW) Perinatal Data Collection, which included all live births in the Australian state of NSW between January 2003 and December 2005. These were linked with the NSW Admitted Patient Data collection for mothers and offspring, and the NSW National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). SETTING New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS A total of 189 558 offspring who completed the NAPLAN in grades 3, 5 and 7 (resulting in 568 674 examination periods). MEASUREMENTS The exposure variable was ICD-10 cannabis use disorders (CUD = F13.0-F13.9). The study included five outcome variables measured at three time-points as not meeting the minimum national standards for: (i) numeracy, (ii) reading, (iii) spelling, (iv) writing and (v) grammar and punctuation. FINDINGS In unadjusted analyses, prenatal CUD was associated with an increased risk for not meeting the national minimum standard of all outcomes [odds ratios (OR) ranging from 3.42 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.94, 3.99) to 4.17 (95% CI = 3.55, 4.91)], with no evidence for an interaction across time. However, the associations attenuated greatly after exact matching by covariates, with reading and numeracy no longer associated with prenatal CUD, while the increased risk of the other outcomes ranged from OR = 1.31 (95% CI = 1.09, 1.57) to OR = 1.40 (95% CI = 1.17, 1.68). CONCLUSION Socio-economic status appears to confound the association between prenatal cannabis use disorder and poor educational performance in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim S Betts
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Steve Kisely
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Rosa Alati
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.,Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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11
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Kohut SJ, Cao L, Mintzopolous D, Jiang S, Nikas SP, Makriyannis A, Zou CS, Jensen JE, Frederick BB, Bergman J, Kangas BD. Effects of cannabinoid exposure on short-term memory and medial orbitofrontal cortex function and chemistry in adolescent female rhesus macaques. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:998351. [PMID: 36248648 PMCID: PMC9561444 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.998351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim There is increasing concern that cannabinoid exposure during adolescence may disturb brain maturation and produce long-term cognitive deficits. However, studies in human subjects have provided limited evidence for such causality. The present study utilized behavioral and neuroimaging endpoints in female non-human primates to examine the effects of acute and chronic exposure during adolescence to the cannabinoid receptor full agonist, AM2389, on cognitive processing and brain function and chemistry. Materials and methods Adolescent female rhesus macaques were trained on a titrating-delay matching-to-sample (TDMTS) touchscreen task that assays working memory. TDMTS performance was assessed before and during chronic exposure to AM2389, following antagonist (rimonabant) administration, and after discontinuation of the chronic regimen. Resting-state fMRI connectivity and magnetic resonance spectroscopy data were acquired prior to drug treatment, during chronic exposure, and following its discontinuation. Voxels were placed in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC), a region involved in memory processing that undergoes maturation during adolescence. Results TDMTS performance was dose-dependently disrupted by acute AM2389; however, chronic treatment resulted in tolerance to these effects. TDMTS performance also was disrupted by discontinuation of the chronic regimen but surprisingly, not by rimonabant administration during chronic AM2389 treatment. mOFC N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio decreased after acute and chronic administration but returned to baseline values following discontinuation of chronic treatment. Finally, intra-network functional connectivity (mOFC) increased during the chronic regimen and returned to baseline values following its discontinuation. Conclusion Neural effects of a cannabinergic drug may persist during chronic exposure, notwithstanding the development of tolerance to behavioral effects. However, such effects dissipate upon discontinuation, reflecting the restorative capacity of affected brain processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J. Kohut
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Stephen J. Kohut,
| | - Lei Cao
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Dionyssios Mintzopolous
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Shan Jiang
- Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Spyros P. Nikas
- Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Chun S. Zou
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - J. Eric Jensen
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Blaise B. Frederick
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Jack Bergman
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Brian D. Kangas
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
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12
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Jenkins BW, Buckhalter S, Perreault ML, Khokhar JY. Cannabis Vapor Exposure Alters Neural Circuit Oscillatory Activity in a Neurodevelopmental Model of Schizophrenia: Exploring the Differential Impact of Cannabis Constituents. SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN OPEN 2022; 3:sgab052. [PMID: 35036917 PMCID: PMC8752653 DOI: 10.1093/schizbullopen/sgab052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis use is highly prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and worsens the course of the disorder. To understand how exposure to cannabis changes schizophrenia-related oscillatory disruptions, we investigated the impact of administering cannabis vapor containing either Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or balanced THC/cannabidiol (CBD) on oscillatory activity in the neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion (NVHL) rat model of schizophrenia. Male Sprague Dawley rats underwent lesion or sham surgeries on postnatal day 7. In adulthood, electrodes were implanted targeting the cingulate cortex (Cg), the prelimbic cortex (PrLC), the hippocampus (HIP), and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Local field potential recordings were obtained after rats were administered either the "THC-only" cannabis vapor (8-18% THC/0% CBD) or the "Balanced THC:CBD" cannabis vapor (4-11% THC/8.5-15.5% CBD) in a cross-over design with a 2-week wash-out period between exposures. Compared to controls, NVHL rats had reduced baseline gamma power in the Cg, HIP, and NAc, and reduced HIP-Cg high-gamma coherence. THC-only vapor exposure broadly suppressed oscillatory power and coherence, even beyond the baseline reductions observed in NHVL rats. Balanced THC:CBD vapor, however, did not suppress oscillatory power and coherence, and in some instances enhanced power. For NVHL rats, THC-only vapor normalized the baseline HIP-Cg high-gamma coherence deficits. NHVL rats demonstrated a 20 ms delay in HIP theta to high-gamma phase coupling, which was not apparent in the PrLC and NAc after both exposures. In conclusion, cannabis vapor exposure has varying impacts on oscillatory activity in NVHL rats, and the relative composition of naturally occurring cannabinoids may contribute to this variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan W Jenkins
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Shoshana Buckhalter
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Jibran Y Khokhar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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13
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Garzón M, Wang G, Chan J, Bourie F, Mackie K, Pickel VM. Adolescent administration of Δ 9-THC decreases the expression and function of muscarinic-1 receptors in prelimbic prefrontal cortical neurons of adult male mice. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2021; 11:144-155. [PMID: 34667972 PMCID: PMC8506972 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term cannabis use during adolescence has deleterious effects in brain that are largely ascribed to the activation of cannabinoid-1 receptors (CB1Rs) by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. Systemic administration of ∆9-THC inhibits acetylcholine release in the prelimbic-prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC). In turn, PL-PFC acetylcholine plays a role in executive activities regulated by CB1R-targeting endocannabinoids, which are generated by cholinergic stimulation of muscarinic-1 receptors (M1Rs). However, the long-term effects of chronic administration of increasing doses of ∆9-THC in adolescent males on the distribution and function of M1 and/or CB1 receptors in the PL-PFC remains unresolved. We used C57BL\6J male mice pre-treated with vehicle or escalating daily doses of ∆9-THC to begin filling this gap. Electron microscopic immunolabeling showed M1R-immunogold particles on plasma membranes and in association with cytoplasmic membranes in varying sized dendrites and dendritic spines. These dendritic profiles received synaptic inputs from unlabeled, CB1R- and/or M1R-labeled axon terminals in the PL-PFC of both treatment groups. However, there was a size-dependent decrease in total (plasmalemmal and cytoplasmic) M1R gold particles in small dendrites within the PL-PFC of mice receiving ∆9-THC. Whole cell current-clamp recording in PL-PFC slice preparations further revealed that adolescent pretreatment with ∆9-THC attenuates the hyperpolarization and increases the firing rate produced by local muscarinic stimulation. Repeated administration of ∆9-THC during adolescence also reduced spontaneous alternations in a Y-maze paradigm designed for measures of PFC-dependent memory function in adult mice. Our results provide new information implicating M1Rs in cortical dysfunctions resulting from adolescent abuse of marijuana.
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Key Words
- 2-AG, 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol diacylglycerol
- ABC, avidin biotin complex
- ACSF, artificial cerebrospinal fluid
- Adolescence
- BSA, bovine serum albumin
- CB1Rs, cannabinoid-1 receptors
- Cannabinoid
- DAG, diacylglycerol
- EPSC, excitatory postsynaptic current
- ETOH, ethyl alcohol
- IP3, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate
- IPSC, inhibitory postsynaptic current
- ITI, intertrial interval
- LTD, long term depression
- M1Rs, muscarinic-1 receptors
- Marijuana
- Muscarinic-1 receptor
- NMDA, N- methyl-D-aspartate
- PBS, phosphate buffered saline
- PD, postnatal day
- PL-PFC, prelimbic-prefrontal cortex
- PLC, phospholipase C
- Prefrontal cortex
- Prelimbic
- RMP, resting membrane potential
- SA, spontaneous alternation
- TS, Tris-buffered saline
- ∆9-THC, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Garzón
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina UAM, Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Gang Wang
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - June Chan
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Faye Bourie
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ken Mackie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Virginia M. Pickel
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
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14
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Sabran-Cohen T, Bright U, Mizrachi Zer-Aviv T, Akirav I. Rapamycin prevents the long-term impairing effects of adolescence Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on memory and plasticity in male rats. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:6104-6122. [PMID: 34405459 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Long-lasting cognitive impairment is one of the most central negative consequences related to the exposure to cannabis during adolescence and particularly of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The aim of this study was to compare the protracted effects of adolescent versus late-adolescent chronic exposure to THC on short-term memory and plasticity and to examine whether rapamycin, a blocker of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, can restore THC-induced deficits in memory and plasticity. Male rats were injected with ascending doses of THC [2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg; intraperitoneally (i.p.)] during adolescence and late-adolescence (post-natal days 30-41 and 45-56, respectively), followed by daily injections of rapamycin (1 mg/kg, i.p.) during the first 10 days of cessation from THC. Thirty days after the last injection, rats were tested for short-term and working memory, anxiety-like behaviour, and plasticity in the pathways projecting from the ventral subiculum (vSub) of the hippocampus to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). THC exposure in adolescence, but not late-adolescence, was found to induce long-term deficits in object recognition short-term memory and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal-accumbens pathway. Importantly, rapamycin rescued these persistent effects of THC administered during adolescence. Our findings show that some forms of memory and plasticity are sensitive to chronic THC administration during adolescence and that rapamycin administered during THC cessation may restore cognitive function and plasticity, thus potentially protecting against the possible long-term harmful effects of THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia Sabran-Cohen
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.,The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Uri Bright
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.,The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tomer Mizrachi Zer-Aviv
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.,The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Irit Akirav
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.,The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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15
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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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16
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Hernandez CM, Orsini CA, Blaes SL, Bizon JL, Febo M, Bruijnzeel AW, Setlow B. Effects of repeated adolescent exposure to cannabis smoke on cognitive outcomes in adulthood. J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:848-863. [PMID: 33295231 PMCID: PMC8187454 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120965931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis (marijuana) is the most widely used illicit drug in the USA, and consumption among adolescents is rising. Some animal studies show that adolescent exposure to delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol or synthetic cannabinoid receptor 1 agonists causes alterations in affect and cognition that can persist into adulthood. It is less clear, however, whether similar alterations result from exposure to cannabis via smoke inhalation, which remains the most frequent route of administration in humans. AIMS To begin to address these questions, a rat model was used to determine how cannabis smoke exposure during adolescence affects behavioral and cognitive outcomes in adulthood. METHODS Adolescent male Long-Evans rats were assigned to clean air, placebo smoke, or cannabis smoke groups. Clean air or smoke exposure sessions were conducted daily during adolescence (from P29-P49 days of age ) for a total of 21 days, and behavioral testing began on P70. RESULTS Compared to clean air and placebo smoke conditions, cannabis smoke significantly attenuated the normal developmental increase in body weight, but had no effects on several measures of either affect/motivation (open field activity, elevated plus maze, instrumental responding under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement) or cognition (set shifting, reversal learning, intertemporal choice). Surprisingly, however, in comparison to clean air controls rats exposed to either cannabis or placebo smoke in adolescence exhibited enhanced performance on a delayed response working memory task. CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence for limited long-term adverse cognitive and affective consequences of adolescent exposure to relatively low levels of cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caesar M Hernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Department of Cellular, Development, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Caitlin A Orsini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
| | - Shelby L Blaes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Marcelo Febo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Adriaan W Bruijnzeel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Barry Setlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA,Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
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17
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Albaugh MD, Ottino-Gonzalez J, Sidwell A, Lepage C, Juliano A, Owens MM, Chaarani B, Spechler P, Fontaine N, Rioux P, Lewis L, Jeon S, Evans A, D’Souza D, Radhakrishnan R, Banaschewski T, Bokde ALW, Quinlan EB, Conrod P, Desrivières S, Flor H, Grigis A, Gowland P, Heinz A, Ittermann B, Martinot JL, Paillère Martinot ML, Nees F, Papadopoulos Orfanos D, Paus T, Poustka L, Millenet S, Fröhner JH, Smolka MN, Walter H, Whelan R, Schumann G, Potter A, Garavan H. Association of Cannabis Use During Adolescence With Neurodevelopment. JAMA Psychiatry 2021; 78:2781289. [PMID: 34132750 PMCID: PMC8209561 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.1258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Animal studies have shown that the adolescent brain is sensitive to disruptions in endocannabinoid signaling, resulting in altered neurodevelopment and lasting behavioral effects. However, few studies have investigated ties between cannabis use and adolescent brain development in humans. OBJECTIVE To examine the degree to which magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-assessed cerebral cortical thickness development is associated with cannabis use in a longitudinal sample of adolescents. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Data were obtained from the community-based IMAGEN cohort study, conducted across 8 European sites. Baseline data used in the present study were acquired from March 1, 2008, to December 31, 2011, and follow-up data were acquired from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2016. A total of 799 IMAGEN participants were identified who reported being cannabis naive at study baseline and had behavioral and neuroimaging data available at baseline and 5-year follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed from October 1, 2019, to August 31, 2020. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Cannabis use was assessed at baseline and 5-year follow-up with the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Anatomical MR images were acquired with a 3-dimensional T1-weighted magnetization prepared gradient echo sequence. Quality-controlled native MR images were processed through the CIVET pipeline, version 2.1.0. RESULTS The study evaluated 1598 MR images from 799 participants (450 female participants [56.3%]; mean [SD] age, 14.4 [0.4] years at baseline and 19.0 [0.7] years at follow-up). At 5-year follow-up, cannabis use (from 0 to >40 uses) was negatively associated with thickness in left prefrontal (peak: t785 = -4.87, cluster size = 1558 vertices; P = 1.10 × 10-6, random field theory cluster corrected) and right prefrontal (peak: t785 = -4.27, cluster size = 1551 vertices; P = 2.81 × 10-5, random field theory cluster corrected) cortices. There were no significant associations between lifetime cannabis use at 5-year follow-up and baseline cortical thickness, suggesting that the observed neuroanatomical differences did not precede initiation of cannabis use. Longitudinal analysis revealed that age-related cortical thinning was qualified by cannabis use in a dose-dependent fashion such that greater use, from baseline to follow-up, was associated with increased thinning in left prefrontal (peak: t815.27 = -4.24, cluster size = 3643 vertices; P = 2.28 × 10-8, random field theory cluster corrected) and right prefrontal (peak: t813.30 = -4.71, cluster size = 2675 vertices; P = 3.72 × 10-8, random field theory cluster corrected) cortices. The spatial pattern of cannabis-related thinning was associated with age-related thinning in this sample (r = 0.540; P < .001), and a positron emission tomography-assessed cannabinoid 1 receptor-binding map derived from a separate sample of participants (r = -0.189; P < .001). Analysis revealed that thinning in right prefrontal cortices, from baseline to follow-up, was associated with attentional impulsiveness at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Results suggest that cannabis use during adolescence is associated with altered neurodevelopment, particularly in cortices rich in cannabinoid 1 receptors and undergoing the greatest age-related thickness change in middle to late adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D. Albaugh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | | | - Amanda Sidwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Claude Lepage
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anthony Juliano
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Max M. Owens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Bader Chaarani
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Philip Spechler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Nicholas Fontaine
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Pierre Rioux
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lindsay Lewis
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Seun Jeon
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alan Evans
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Deepak D’Souza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Rajiv Radhakrishnan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arun L. W. Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Erin Burke Quinlan
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Patricia Conrod
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Antoine Grigis
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Penny Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Campus Charité Mitte, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jean-Luc Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U A10 “Trajectoires développementales en psychiatrie” Université Paris-Saclay, Ecole Normale supérieure Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Centre Borelli, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U A10 “Trajectoires développementales en psychiatrie,” Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Ecole Normale supérieure Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Centre Borelli, Paris, France
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Tomáš Paus
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabina Millenet
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Juliane H. Fröhner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael N. Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Campus Charité Mitte, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine Research Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charite Mitte, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Alexandra Potter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington
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18
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Franklin JM, Broseguini de Souza RK, Carrasco GA. Cannabinoid 2 receptors regulate dopamine 2 receptor expression by a beta-arrestin 2 and GRK5-dependent mechanism in neuronal cells. Neurosci Lett 2021; 753:135883. [PMID: 33838258 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We have previously reported that the repeated exposure to cannabinoids upregulates and enhances the activity of serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) and dopamine 2 (D2) receptors and facilitates the formation of D2-5-HT2A receptor heterodimers in the rat prefrontal cortex and two neuronal cell lines. Because the repeated exposure to cannabinoids has been associated with adverse neuropsychiatric disorders, this study investigated the mechanisms that underly the cannabinoid-mediated regulation of D2 receptor expression in a neuronal cell model, CLU213 cells. We initially tested the effects of repeated exposure (72 h) to a non-selective cannabinoid agonist (1 nM CP55940), a selective CB1 receptor agonist (15 nM ACEA), or a selective CB2 receptor drug (1 nM GP1a) on the expression of postsynaptic D2 (D2L) receptors in CLU213 cells. Repeated CP55940, GP1a, or ACEA treatments significantly increased D2L receptor protein levels (99 % ± 7%, 30 % ± 7%, and 39 % ± 5% increases compared with control levels, respectively). Repeated exposure to both GP1a and ACEA increased D2L receptor protein levels by 73 % ± 8%. Interestingly, CP55940 and GP1a, but not ACEA, upregulated D2 mRNA. Using cells that were stably transfected with short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentiviral particles targeting CB2 receptors, G protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 (GRK5), and β-arrestin 2, we found that CB2 receptors regulated D2 expression through a mechanism that is dependent on GRK5, β-arrestin 2, and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK)1/2. We also found that repeated exposure to either ACEA or GP1a selectively stimulated the protein and mRNA expression of GRK proteins. ACEA significantly upregulated GRK2 proteins, whereas GP1a upregulated GRK5 protein expression. Our results identified mechanisms associated with the upregulation of D2 receptors in neuronal cells after the repeated exposure to cannabinoids. These data can shed light on the mechanisms that can be targeted to prevent potential adverse effects, while simultaneously determining the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade M Franklin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Kansas, United States
| | | | - Gonzalo A Carrasco
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Copper Medical School of Rowan University, New Jersey, United States; Rowan University Institute for Cannabis Research, Policy, & Workforce Development, New Jersey, United States.
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19
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Doran N, Strong D, Myers MG, Correa JB, Tully L. Post-legalization changes in marijuana use in a sample of young California adults. Addict Behav 2021; 115:106782. [PMID: 33388479 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Increasing marijuana use among young adults is a concern due to substantial acute and chronic health risks. More widespread use of marijuana may also lead to increased use of nicotine and tobacco products. California legalized commercial sales of marijuana for recreational use as of January 2018. To our knowledge no studies to date have examined subsequent changes in marijuana use. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that marijuana use frequency increased following legalization of recreational sales. We also hypothesized that increased marijuana frequency would predict greater frequency of nicotine/tobacco consumption. METHODS The study was a secondary analysis of a longitudinal study of tobacco use among non-daily cigarette smokers. Participants were 563 young adults (aged 18-24) enrolled in 2015-16 and followed quarterly for 3 years. RESULTS A piecewise multilevel regression model indicated that marijuana use frequency did not change over time, including following legalization. More frequent use was associated with younger age and identifying as white (ps < 0.001, which did not change after legalization. Marijuana frequency was moderated by sex (p < .001), with women reporting increasing and men decreasing use over time. It was also associated with tobacco use, and particularly with e-cigarette use following legalization (ps < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest legalization of recreational marijuana sales had a negligible overall impact on days of use among young adults, but may have prompted increased interest in marijuana among some, particularly women and e-cigarette users. The continuously evolving landscape around these products indicates that ongoing surveillance is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal Doran
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, United States; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, United States.
| | - David Strong
- School of Public Health, University of California, San Diego, United States.
| | - Mark G Myers
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, United States; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, United States.
| | - John B Correa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, United States; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, United States.
| | - Lyric Tully
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, United States.
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20
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Song CG, Kang X, Yang F, Du WQ, Zhang JJ, Liu L, Kang JJ, Jia N, Yue H, Fan LY, Wu SX, Jiang W, Gao F. Endocannabinoid system in the neurodevelopment of GABAergic interneurons: implications for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Rev Neurosci 2021; 32:803-831. [PMID: 33781002 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2020-0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In mature mammalian brains, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in the regulation of synaptic plasticity and the functioning of neural networks. Besides, the ECS also contributes to the neurodevelopment of the central nervous system. Due to the increase in the medical and recreational use of cannabis, it is inevitable and essential to elaborate the roles of the ECS on neurodevelopment. GABAergic interneurons represent a group of inhibitory neurons that are vital in controlling neural network activity. However, the role of the ECS in the neurodevelopment of GABAergic interneurons remains to be fully elucidated. In this review, we provide a brief introduction of the ECS and interneuron diversity. We focus on the process of interneuron development and the role of ECS in the modulation of interneuron development, from the expansion of the neural stem/progenitor cells to the migration, specification and maturation of interneurons. We further discuss the potential implications of the ECS and interneurons in the pathogenesis of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Geng Song
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China.,Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, 127 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Kang
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fang Yang
- Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, 127 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wan-Qing Du
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jia-Jia Zhang
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Long Liu
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun-Jun Kang
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ning Jia
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hui Yue
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lu-Yu Fan
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sheng-Xi Wu
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wen Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, 127 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fang Gao
- Department of Neurobiology and Institute of Neurosciences, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Chang Le Xi Road, Xi'an710032, Shaanxi, China
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21
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Alteba S, Portugalov A, Hillard CJ, Akirav I. Inhibition of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) During Adolescence and Exposure to Early Life Stress may Exacerbate Depression-like Behaviors in Male and Female Rats. Neuroscience 2021; 455:89-106. [PMID: 33359656 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Early-life stress (ELS) is associated with later onset of depression. Early cannabis use may be a risk factor that interacts with environmental factors to increase the risk of psychopathologies. We aimed to examine the long-term effects of ELS on depression- and anxiety-like behavior, and examine whether chronic fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibition during mid-adolescence could ameliorate or exacerbate ELS effects on behavior. Male and female rats were exposed to ELS during post-natal days (P) 7-14, injected with the FAAH inhibitor URB597 (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle for 2 weeks during mid-adolescence (P30-45) or late-adolescence (P45-60). Rats were tested in adulthood for behavior and alterations in CB1 receptors (CB1r) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in the brains' stress circuit. ELS produced decreased social preference, impaired social recognition, increased learned helplessness and anxiety-like behavior. Administering URB597 during mid-adolescence did not prevent the deleterious long-term effects of ELS on behavior in males and females. When URB597 was administered during late-adolescence, it ameliorated ELS-induced depression- and anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, in males, ELS and URB597 decreased CB1r levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and CA1 and GRs in the PFC and basolateral amygdala (BLA). In females, ELS and URB decreased CB1r in the BLA and GRs in the CA1 and BLA. The findings suggest that mid-adolescence, as opposed to late-adolescence, may not be a potential developmental period for chronic treatment with FAAH inhibitors and that sex-dependent alterations in CB1r and GRs expression in the BLA-PFC-CA1 circuit may contribute to the depressive behavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Alteba
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel; The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Anna Portugalov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel; The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA
| | - Irit Akirav
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel; The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
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22
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De Felice M, Renard J, Hudson R, Szkudlarek HJ, Pereira BJ, Schmid S, Rushlow WJ, Laviolette SR. l-Theanine Prevents Long-Term Affective and Cognitive Side Effects of Adolescent Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure and Blocks Associated Molecular and Neuronal Abnormalities in the Mesocorticolimbic Circuitry. J Neurosci 2021; 41:739-750. [PMID: 33268546 PMCID: PMC7842745 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1050-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic adolescent exposure to Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is linked to elevated neuropsychiatric risk and induces neuronal, molecular and behavioral abnormalities resembling neuropsychiatric endophenotypes. Previous evidence has revealed that the mesocorticolimbic circuitry, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and mesolimbic dopamine (DA) pathway are particularly susceptible to THC-induced pathologic alterations, including dysregulation of DAergic activity states, loss of PFC GABAergic inhibitory control and affective and cognitive abnormalities. There are currently limited pharmacological intervention strategies capable of preventing THC-induced neuropathological adaptations. l-Theanine is an amino acid analog of l-glutamate and l-glutamine derived from various plant sources, including green tea leaves. l-Theanine has previously been shown to modulate levels of GABA, DA, and glutamate in various neural regions and to possess neuroprotective properties. Using a preclinical model of adolescent THC exposure in male rats, we report that l-theanine pretreatment before adolescent THC exposure is capable of preventing long-term, THC-induced dysregulation of both PFC and VTA DAergic activity states, a neuroprotective effect that persists into adulthood. In addition, pretreatment with l-theanine blocked THC-induced downregulation of local GSK-3 (glycogen synthase kinase 3) and Akt signaling pathways directly in the PFC, two biomarkers previously associated with cannabis-related psychiatric risk and subcortical DAergic dysregulation. Finally, l-theanine powerfully blocked the development of both affective and cognitive abnormalities commonly associated with adolescent THC exposure, further demonstrating functional and long-term neuroprotective effects of l-theanine in the mesocorticolimbic system.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT With the increasing trend of cannabis legalization and consumption during adolescence, it is essential to expand knowledge on the potential effects of adolescent cannabis exposure on brain development and identify potential pharmacological strategies to minimize Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced neuropathology. Previous evidence demonstrates that adolescent THC exposure induces long-lasting affective and cognitive abnormalities, mesocorticolimbic dysregulation, and schizophrenia-like molecular biomarkers that persist into adulthood. We demonstrate for the first time that l-theanine, an amino acid analog of l-glutamate and l-glutamine, is capable of preventing long-term THC side effects. l-Theanine prevented the development of THC-induced behavioral aberrations, blocked cortical downregulation of local GSK-3 (glycogen synthase kinase 3) and Akt signaling pathways, and normalized dysregulation of both PFC and VTA DAergic activity, demonstrating powerful and functional neuroprotective effects against THC-induced developmental neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta De Felice
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Justine Renard
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Roger Hudson
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Hanna J Szkudlarek
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Brian J Pereira
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Walter J Rushlow
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Steven R Laviolette
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
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23
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Alteba S, Mizrachi Zer-Aviv T, Tenenhaus A, Ben David G, Adelman J, Hillard CJ, Doron R, Akirav I. Antidepressant-like effects of URB597 and JZL184 in male and female rats exposed to early life stress. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 39:70-86. [PMID: 32891517 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) may increase predisposition to depression. Despite extensive research, there is still a lack of knowledge of how to optimally treat depression. We aimed to establish a role for the endocannabinoid (ECB) system within the hippocampal-nucleus accumbens (NAc) network as a possible effective target in combating the pathophysiological development of depression-like behavior and neuronal alterations that are precipitated by ELS. Male and female rats were exposed to ELS during post-natal days (P) 7-14, injected with the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 or the monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitor JZL184 for 2 weeks during late-adolescence (P45-60). Rats were tested starting at P90 for depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors as well as social preference and recognition; alterations in FAAH and MAGL activity; the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); and plasticity in the hippocampal-NAc pathway. FAAH and MAGL inhibitors during late-adolescence prevented: (i) the long-term effects of ELS on depression- and anxiety-like behavior and the impairment in social behavior and neuronal plasticity in males and females; (ii) ELS-induced alterations in MAGL activity in males' hippocampus and females' hippocampus and NAc; and (iii) ELS-induced alterations in BDNF in males' hippocampus and NAc and females' hippocampus. Significant correlations were observed between alterations in MAGL and BDNF levels and the behavioral phenotype. The findings suggest that alterations in MAGL activity and BDNF expression in the hippocampal-NAc network contribute to the depressive-like behavioral phenotype in ELS males and females. Moreover, the study suggests FAAH and MAGL inhibitors as potential intervention drugs for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Alteba
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel; The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Tomer Mizrachi Zer-Aviv
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel; The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Adi Tenenhaus
- Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University of Israel, Israel
| | - Gilad Ben David
- Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University of Israel, Israel
| | - Jacob Adelman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA
| | - Ravid Doron
- Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University of Israel, Israel
| | - Irit Akirav
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel; The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
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24
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Dunn AL, Michie PT, Hodgson DM, Harms L. Adolescent cannabinoid exposure interacts with other risk factors in schizophrenia: A review of the evidence from animal models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:202-220. [PMID: 32610181 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.028] [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: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Many factors and their interaction are linked to the aetiology of schizophrenia, leading to the development of animal models of multiple risk factors and adverse exposures. Differentiating between separate and combined effects for each factor could better elucidate schizophrenia pathology, and drive development of preventative strategies for high-load risk factors. An epidemiologically valid risk factor commonly associated with schizophrenia is adolescent cannabis use. The aim of this review is to evaluate how early-life adversity from various origins, in combination with adolescent cannabinoid exposure interact, and whether these interactions confer main, synergistic or protective effects in animal models of schizophrenia-like behavioural, cognitive and morphological alterations. Patterns emerge regarding which models show consistent synergistic or protective effects, particularly those models incorporating early-life exposure to maternal deprivation and maternal immune activation, and sex-specific effects are observed. It is evident that more research needs to be conducted to better understand the risks and alterations of interacting factors, with particular interest in sex differences, to better understand the translatability of these preclinical models to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L Dunn
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
| | - Patricia T Michie
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Deborah M Hodgson
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Lauren Harms
- Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
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25
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Berthoux C, Hamieh AM, Rogliardo A, Doucet EL, Coudert C, Ango F, Grychowska K, Chaumont‐Dubel S, Zajdel P, Maldonado R, Bockaert J, Marin P, Bécamel C. Early 5-HT 6 receptor blockade prevents symptom onset in a model of adolescent cannabis abuse. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e10605. [PMID: 32329240 PMCID: PMC7207164 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201910605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis abuse during adolescence confers an increased risk for developing later in life cognitive deficits reminiscent of those observed in schizophrenia, suggesting common pathological mechanisms that remain poorly characterized. In line with previous findings that revealed a role of 5-HT6 receptor-operated mTOR activation in cognitive deficits of rodent developmental models of schizophrenia, we show that chronic administration of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to mice during adolescence induces a long-lasting activation of mTOR in prefrontal cortex (PFC), alterations of excitatory/inhibitory balance, intrinsic properties of layer V pyramidal neurons, and long-term depression, as well as cognitive deficits in adulthood. All are prevented by administrating a 5-HT6 receptor antagonist or rapamycin, during adolescence. In contrast, they are still present 2 weeks after the same treatments delivered at the adult stage. Collectively, these findings suggest a role of 5-HT6 receptor-operated mTOR signaling in abnormalities of cortical network wiring elicited by THC at a critical period of PFC maturation and highlight the potential of 5-HT6 receptor antagonists as early therapy to prevent cognitive symptom onset in adolescent cannabis abusers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Camille Coudert
- IGF, University of MontpellierCNRS, INSERMMontpellierFrance
- Department of Adult PsychiatryMontpellier University HospitalMontpellierFrance
| | - Fabrice Ango
- IGF, University of MontpellierCNRS, INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Katarzyna Grychowska
- Department of Medicinal ChemistryJagiellonian University Medical CollegeKrakówPoland
| | | | - Pawel Zajdel
- Department of Medicinal ChemistryJagiellonian University Medical CollegeKrakówPoland
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Neuropharmacology LaboratoryDepartment of Experimental and Health SciencesPompeu Fabra UniversityBarcelonaSpain
| | - Joël Bockaert
- IGF, University of MontpellierCNRS, INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Philippe Marin
- IGF, University of MontpellierCNRS, INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Carine Bécamel
- IGF, University of MontpellierCNRS, INSERMMontpellierFrance
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26
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Miladinovic T, Manwell LA, Raaphorst E, Malecki SL, Rana SA, Mallet PE. Effects of chronic nicotine exposure on Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced locomotor activity and neural activation in male and female adolescent and adult rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 194:172931. [PMID: 32353393 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE High rates of comorbid tobacco and cannabis use in adolescents and young adults may be related to functional interactions between the nicotinic cholinergic and cannabinoid systems in the brain during development. This study examined the effects of chronic exposure to nicotine (the psychoactive component in tobacco) on acute exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (the psychoactive component of cannabis). METHODS Male and female adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 112) were injected daily with nicotine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle for 14 days, followed by a 14-day drug-free period. On test day, rats were injected with THC (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle, locomotor activity was recorded for 2 h, and brains harvested for c-Fos immunoreactivity (IR). RESULTS Locomotor activity and c-Fos IR changes induced by THC challenge were altered by nicotine pre-exposure and modified by age and sex. THC-induced suppression of locomotor activity was attenuated by nicotine pre-exposure in adult but not adolescent males. THC-induced suppression of locomotor activity was potentiated by nicotine pre-exposure in female adolescents, with no effects of THC or nicotine observed in female adults. THC increased c-Fos IR in the caudate, nucleus accumbens, stria terminalis, septum, amygdala, hypothalamus, and thalamus. Nicotine pre-exposure potentiated this effect in all regions. Several brain regions showed age and sex differences in c-Fos IR such that expression was greater in adults than adolescents and in females than males. CONCLUSIONS Chronic nicotine pre-exposure produces lasting effects on cannabinoid-mediated signalling in the brain and on behaviour that are mediated by age and sex. FUNDING SUPPORT NSERC.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Miladinovic
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L3C5, Canada
| | - L A Manwell
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L3C5, Canada.
| | - E Raaphorst
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L3C5, Canada
| | - S L Malecki
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L3C5, Canada
| | - S A Rana
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L3C5, Canada
| | - P E Mallet
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L3C5, Canada
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Forrester SY, Jahan N. Depression Onset in Long-term Adolescent Cannabinoid Use: A Neurobiological Review. Cureus 2020; 12:e7759. [PMID: 32455076 PMCID: PMC7243066 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.7759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Escalating cannabis use may be linked to decreased motivation and anhedonia, which are symptoms of depression. Adolescent cannabis users with subthreshold depressive symptoms such as reduced motivation may be susceptible to the development of significant anhedonia in addition to impaired emotional development. The main issue regarding depression within the context of cannabis use is whether or not there is a neurobiological basis linking the two variables. A Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) function PubMed search using the keywords “cannabis, depression, adolescence, endocannabinoid, and temperament” returned 1,109 articles. Data were included from studies that satisfied the following criteria: (i) published within the last 10 years (older studies were included based on relevance), (ii) on adolescent subjects (animal or human), (iii) published in English, (iv) journal articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical trials, observational studies (animal or human), (v) on subjects who had unipolar depression with no comorbidities, and (vi) on subjects who used cannabis [with no confounding variables such as the use of ethanol, nicotine, cocaine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and heroin; and no medical conditions such as comorbid psychosis, mania, or autism]. Depressive symptoms in cannabinoid users were a common co-occurrence partly explained by pleiotropic linkage of genetic locus identified on chromosome 11q23.1-q23.2 and comprises the gene sequence nuclear cell adhesion molecule 1-tetratricopeptide repeat domain 12-ankyrin repeat and kinase domain containing 1-dopamine receptor D2 (NCAM1-TTC12-ANKK1-DRD2). The relationship between the two is not invariant and is influenced by polymorphic DRD, endocannabinoid receptor (CNR), and 5-HT genes. Anhedonia seemed to be the most important symptom. Cannabinoid-induced long-term neuroplastic changes, particularly in the dorsal striatum, is a possible mechanism resulting in anhedonia and long-term effects on motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn Y Forrester
- Psychiatry, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Nusrat Jahan
- Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA
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Noorbakhsh S, Afzali MH, Boers E, Conrod PJ. Cognitive Function Impairments Linked to Alcohol and Cannabis Use During Adolescence: A Study of Gender Differences. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:95. [PMID: 32317950 PMCID: PMC7154290 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Major neurocognitive changes occur during adolescence, making this phase one of the most critical developmental periods of life. Furthermore, this phase in life is also the time in which youth substance use begins. Several studies have demonstrated the differential associations of alcohol and cannabis use concerning the neurocognitive functioning of both males and females. Past and contemporary literature on gender-specific effects in neuroscience of addiction is predominantly based on cross-sectional datasets and data that is limited in terms of measurement variability. Given the importance of gender-specific effects in addiction studies, and in order to address the two above-mentioned gaps in the literature, the present study aimed to compare neurocognitive functioning of male and female adolescents in the context of cannabis and alcohol use, while employing a longitudinal design with multiple repeated measurements. Participants were 3,826 high school students (47% female; mean age, 12.7), who were recruited from 31 high schools in the greater Montreal area. Participants were requested to complete annual surveys for five consecutive years, from 7th to 11th grade, assessing their alcohol/cannabis use and neurocognitive functioning (working memory, delayed recall memory, perceptual reasoning, and inhibition control). The analytical strategy focused on the longitudinal association between each predictor (female, male) and each of the outcomes (domains of neurocognitive functioning). Multilevel linear models assessed the association of alcohol and cannabis consumption and the four domains of neurocognitive functioning. Results revealed a gender by within-subject interaction, suggesting a weaker effect of yearly fluctuation of cannabis use on working memory among males compared to females. Our findings suggest a different pattern of neurocognitive impairment of female and male working memory after using cannabis over the course of adolescence. Early initiation of cannabis use potentially results in more spatial working memory deficits in female adolescents. This may negatively influence young females' capacity in academic settings and lead to significant impairment in adulthood, which critically decreases the individual's quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simasadat Noorbakhsh
- Département de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Mohammad H Afzali
- Département de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elroy Boers
- Département de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Patricia J Conrod
- Département de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Tirado-Muñoz J, Lopez-Rodriguez AB, Fonseca F, Farré M, Torrens M, Viveros MP. Effects of cannabis exposure in the prenatal and adolescent periods: Preclinical and clinical studies in both sexes. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 57:100841. [PMID: 32339546 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug among adolescents and young adults, including pregnant women. There is substantial evidence for a significant association between prenatal cannabis exposure and lower birth weight in offspring, and mixed results regarding later behavioural outcomes in the offspring. Adolescent cannabis use, especially heavy use, has been associated with altered executive function, depression, psychosis and use of other drugs later in life. Human studies have limitations due to several confounding factors and have provided scarce information about sex differences. In general, animal studies support behavioural alterations reported in humans and have revealed diverse sex differences and potential underlying mechanisms (altered mesolimbic dopaminergic and hippocampal glutamatergic systems and interference with prefrontal cortex maturation). More studies are needed that analyse sex and gender influences on cannabis-induced effects with great clinical relevance such as psychosis, cannabis use disorder and associated comorbidities, to achieve more personalized and accurate treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Tirado-Muñoz
- Addiction Research Group, IMIM-Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Belen Lopez-Rodriguez
- School of Biochemistry & Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Francina Fonseca
- Addiction Research Group, IMIM-Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Magi Farré
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol and Institut de Recerca Germas Trias (HUGTP-IGTP), Badalona, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Torrens
- Addiction Research Group, IMIM-Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Simone JJ, Baumbach JL, McPherson J, McCormick CM. Adolescent CB1 receptor antagonism influences subsequent social interactions and neural activity in female rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2020; 80:319-333. [PMID: 32220094 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that repeated exposure to the CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist AM251 in adolescence (PND 30-44) increased social interactions in female rats when tested 48 h after the final exposure to the antagonist. Here, we investigated whether the increased sociality would be present after a longer drug washout period (5 days) in both male and female rats (experiment 1), and sought to identify candidate brain regions that may explain the observed differences in social behaviours between AM251 and vehicle-treated female rats (experiment 2). While drug-free, adolescent AM251 treatment increased social interactions in females and not in males. AM251 female rats had increased neural activity (as measured by the expression of early growth response protein-1; EGR-1) in the nucleus accumbens shell and cingulate gyrus of the medial prefrontal cortex, with no observed differences in EGR-1 expression in the dorsal hippocampus, nucleus accumbens core, or prelimbic and infralimbic subdivisions of the medial prefrontal cortex relative to vehicle rats. Together, these results demonstrate a sex-specific role of adolescent endocannabinoid signalling in the normative development of social behaviours and provide further support for adolescence as a vulnerable period for the effects of altered endocannabinoid signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Simone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
| | - Jennet L Baumbach
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
| | | | - Cheryl M McCormick
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.,Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
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Salmanzadeh H, Ahmadi-Soleimani SM, Pachenari N, Azadi M, Halliwell RF, Rubino T, Azizi H. Adolescent drug exposure: A review of evidence for the development of persistent changes in brain function. Brain Res Bull 2020; 156:105-117. [PMID: 31926303 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, many studies have indicated that adolescence is a critical period of brain development and maturation. The refinement and maturation of the central nervous system over this prolonged period, however, makes the adolescent brain highly susceptible to perturbations from acute and chronic drug exposure. Here we review the preclinical literature addressing the long-term consequences of adolescent exposure to common recreational drugs and drugs-of-abuse. These studies on adolescent exposure to alcohol, nicotine, opioids, cannabinoids and psychostimulant drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamine, reveal a variety of long-lasting behavioral and neurobiological consequences. These agents can affect development of the prefrontal cortex and mesolimbic dopamine pathways and modify the reward systems, socio-emotional processing and cognition. Other consequences include disruption in working memory, anxiety disorders and an increased risk of subsequent drug abuse in adult life. Although preventive and control policies are a valuable approach to reduce the detrimental effects of drugs-of-abuse on the adolescent brain, a more profound understanding of their neurobiological impact can lead to improved strategies for the treatment and attenuation of the detrimental neuropsychiatric sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Salmanzadeh
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; TJ Long School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA
| | | | - Narges Pachenari
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Azadi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Robert F Halliwell
- TJ Long School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA
| | - Tiziana Rubino
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio, VA, Italy
| | - Hossein Azizi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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32
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Blest-Hopley G, Colizzi M, Giampietro V, Bhattacharyya S. Is the Adolescent Brain at Greater Vulnerability to the Effects of Cannabis? A Narrative Review of the Evidence. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:859. [PMID: 33005157 PMCID: PMC7479242 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis use during the critical neurodevelopmental period of adolescence, may lead to brain structural, functional, and histological alterations that may underpin some of the longer-term behavioral and psychological harms associated with it. The endocannabinoid system performs a key regulatory and homeostatic role, that undergoes developmental changes during adolescence making it potentially more susceptible to the effects of exposure to cannabis during adolescence. Here, we synthesize evidence from human studies of adolescent cannabis users showing alterations in cognitive performance as well as in brain structure and function with relevant preclinical evidence to summarize the current state of knowledge. We also focus on the limited evidence that speaks to the hypothesis that cannabis use during adolescence, may pose a greater risk than use during adulthood, identify gaps in current evidence and suggest directions for new research. Existing literature is consistent with the association of cannabis use during adolescence and neurological changes. Adolescence cannabis users show altered functional connectivity within known functional circuits, that may underlie inefficient recruitment of brain regions, as largely increased functional activation has been observed compared to controls. This disruption in some cases may contribute to the development of adverse mental health conditions; increasing the chances or accelerating the onset, of their development. Preclinical evidence, further supports disruption from cannabis use being specific to the developmental period. Future studies are required to better investigate adolescent cannabis use with more accuracy using better defined groups or longitudinal studies and examine the permanency of these changes following caseation of use. Furthermore, research is required to identify heritable risk factors to cannabis use. There is a need for caution when considering the therapeutic potential of cannabis for adolescence and particularly in public discourse leading to potential trivialization of possible harm from cannabis use in adolescence. Current evidence indicates that adolescence is a sensitive period during which cannabis use may result in adverse neurocognitive effects that appear to show a level of permanency into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Blest-Hopley
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Marco Colizzi
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom.,Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Vincent Giampietro
- Department of Neuroimaging, Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Sagnik Bhattacharyya
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom.,South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Disrupting the endocannabinoid system in early adolescence negatively impacts sociability. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2019; 188:172832. [PMID: 31778723 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.172832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Animal models suggest that the endocannabinoid system (eCS) helps regulate various aspects of social behavior, including play behavior and social reward, during adolescence. Properly tuned endocannabinoid signaling may be a critical developmental component in the emergence of normal adult sociability. In the current experiment, we attempted to pharmacologically disrupt endocannabinoid tone during early adolescence, and then measure the behavioral effects at two subsequent time points. 36 male and 36 female Long Evans rats received daily injections of one of three treatments between post-natal day (PND) 25-39: 1) vehicle treatment, 2) 0.4 mg/kg CP55,940 (a potent CB1/CB2 receptor agonist), or 3) 0.5 mg/kg AM251 (a CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist). Both soon after treatment (PND 40-44) and several weeks later (PND 66-70), subjects were tested in an elevated plus maze (EPM) for anxiety and in a three-chambered apparatus for sociability. For the latter test, the number of entries into each chamber and the amount of time spent investigating each target were measured. Analyses revealed significant main effects of both sex and age on sociability: males expressed greater sociability compared to females, and sociability was higher in adolescence than adulthood. Most importantly, drug treatment (both CP55,940 and AM251) attenuated sociability in adolescence without having a significant effect on anxiety in the EPM. However, this effect did not persist into adulthood. These results indicate that pharmacological disruption of endocannabinoid tone - through either chronic agonism or antagonism of cannabinoid receptors - during early adolescence has a detrimental effect on sociability. This effect may be caused by transient, compensatory alterations in the eCS.
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Manwell LA, Miladinovic T, Raaphorst E, Rana S, Malecki S, Mallet PE. Chronic nicotine exposure attenuates the effects of Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol on anxiety-related behavior and social interaction in adult male and female rats. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01375. [PMID: 31583843 PMCID: PMC6851810 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anxiogenic and anxiolytic effects of cannabinoids are mediated by different mechanisms, including neural signaling via cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) and nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs). This study examined the effects of prior nicotine (the psychoactive component in tobacco) exposure on behavioral sensitivity to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; the psychoactive component of cannabis) challenge in animals. METHODS Male and female adult Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 96) were injected daily with nicotine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle for 14 days, followed by a 14-day drug-free period. On test day, rats were injected with THC (0.5, 2.0, or 5.0 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle and anxiety-related behavior was assessed in the emergence (EM), elevated plus maze (EPM), and social interaction (SI) tests. RESULTS Chronic nicotine pretreatment attenuated some of the anxiogenic effects induced by THC challenge which can be summarized as follows: (a) THC dose-dependently affected locomotor activity, exploratory behavior, and social interaction in the EM, EPM, and SI tests of unconditioned anxiety; (b) these effects of acute THC challenge were greater in females compared with males except for grooming a conspecific; (c) prior nicotine exposure attenuated the effects of acute THC challenge for locomotor activity in the EPM test; and (d) prior nicotine exposure attenuated the effects of THC challenge for direct but not indirect physical interaction in the SI tests. CONCLUSIONS The ability of nicotine prior exposure to produce long-lasting changes that alter the effects of acute THC administration suggests that chronic nicotine may induce neuroplastic changes that influence the subsequent response to novel THC exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elana Raaphorst
- Department of PsychologyWilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterlooONCanada
| | - Shadna Rana
- Department of PsychologyWilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterlooONCanada
| | - Sarah Malecki
- Department of PsychologyWilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterlooONCanada
| | - Paul E. Mallet
- Department of PsychologyWilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterlooONCanada
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35
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Hurd YL, Manzoni OJ, Pletnikov MV, Lee FS, Bhattacharyya S, Melis M. Cannabis and the Developing Brain: Insights into Its Long-Lasting Effects. J Neurosci 2019; 39:8250-8258. [PMID: 31619494 PMCID: PMC6794936 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1165-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent shift in sociopolitical debates and growing liberalization of cannabis use across the globe has raised concern regarding its impact on vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and adolescents. Epidemiological studies have long demonstrated a relationship between developmental cannabis exposure and later mental health symptoms. This relationship is especially strong in people with particular genetic polymorphisms, suggesting that cannabis use interacts with genotype to increase mental health risk. Seminal animal research directly linked prenatal and adolescent exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the major psychoactive component of cannabis, with protracted effects on adult neural systems relevant to psychiatric and substance use disorders. In this article, we discuss some recent advances in understanding the long-term molecular, epigenetic, electrophysiological, and behavioral consequences of prenatal, perinatal, and adolescent exposure to cannabis/delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Insights are provided from both animal and human studies, including in vivo neuroimaging strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin L Hurd
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029,
| | - Olivier J Manzoni
- Aix Marseille University, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Institut de neurobiologie de la méditerranée, 13273 Marseille, France, and Cannalab, Cannabinoids Neuroscience Research International Associated Laboratory, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, 13273 Marseille, France
| | - Mikhail V Pletnikov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Francis S Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065
| | - Sagnik Bhattacharyya
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom, and
| | - Miriam Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
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36
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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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Marques NF, Binder LB, Roversi K, Sampaio TB, Constantino LC, Prediger RD, Tasca CI. Guanosine prevents depressive-like behaviors in rats following bilateral dorsolateral striatum lesion induced by 6-hydroxydopamine. Behav Brain Res 2019; 372:112014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Zimmermann K, Kendrick KM, Scheele D, Dau W, Banger M, Maier W, Weber B, Ma Y, Hurlemann R, Becker B. Altered striatal reward processing in abstinent dependent cannabis users: Social context matters. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 29:356-364. [PMID: 30658938 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.01.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Public perception of cannabis as relatively harmless, alongside claimed medical benefits, have led to moves towards its legalization. Yet, long-term consequences of cannabis dependence, and whether they differ qualitatively from other drugs, are still poorly understood. A key feature of addictive drugs is that chronic use leads to adaptations in striatal reward processing, blunting responsivity to the substance itself and natural (non-drug) rewards. Against this background, the present study investigated whether cannabis dependence is associated with lasting alterations in behavioral and neural responses to social reward in 23 abstinent cannabis-dependent men and 24 matched non-using controls. In an interpersonal pleasant touch fMRI paradigm, participants were led to believe they were in physical closeness of or touched (CLOSE, TOUCH) by either a male or female experimenter (MALE, FEMALE), allowing contextual modulation of the perceived pleasantness and associated neural responses. Upon female compared to male touch, dependent cannabis users displayed a significantly attenuated increase of pleasantness experience compared to healthy controls. Controls responded to female as compared to male interaction with increased striatal activation whereas cannabis users displayed the opposite activation pattern, with stronger alterations being associated with a higher lifetime exposure to cannabis. Neural processing of pleasant touch in dependent cannabis users was found to be intact. These findings demonstrate that cannabis dependence is linked to blunted striatal processing of non-drug rewards and suggest that these alterations may contribute to social processing deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaeli Zimmermann
- Department of Psychiatry and Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, Clinical Hospital of the Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Xiyuan Ave 2006, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Dirk Scheele
- Department of Psychiatry and Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Dau
- Department of Addiction and Psychotherapy, LVR-Clinic Bonn, 53111 Bonn, Germany
| | - Markus Banger
- Department of Addiction and Psychotherapy, LVR-Clinic Bonn, 53111 Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Maier
- Department of Psychiatry and Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd Weber
- Department of Epileptology, Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Germany; Department of NeuroCognition, Life & Brain Center, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Yina Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, 100875 Beijing, China
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry and Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Benjamin Becker
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, Clinical Hospital of the Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Xiyuan Ave 2006, 611731 Chengdu, China.
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Gorey C, Kuhns L, Smaragdi E, Kroon E, Cousijn J. Age-related differences in the impact of cannabis use on the brain and cognition: a systematic review. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 269:37-58. [PMID: 30680487 PMCID: PMC6394430 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-00981-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The impact of cannabis on the adolescent compared to adult brain is of interest to researchers and society alike. From a theoretical perspective, adolescence represents a period of both risk and resilience to the harms of cannabis use and cannabis use disorders. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a critical examination of the moderating role of age on the relationship between cannabis use and cognition. To this end, we reviewed human and animal studies that formally tested whether age, adolescent or adult, changes the relationship between cannabis exposure and cognitive outcomes. While the results of this review do not offer a conclusive answer on the role of age, the novel review question, along with the inclusion of both human and animal work, has allowed for the formation of new hypotheses to be addressed in future work. First, general executive functioning seems to be more impaired in adolescent frequent cannabis users compared to adult frequent cannabis users. Second, age-effects may be most prominent among very heavy and dependent users. Third, craving and inhibitory control may not decrease as much post-intoxication in adolescents compared to adults. Lastly, adolescents' vulnerability to reduced learning following cannabis use may not persist after sustained abstinence. If these hypotheses prove correct, it could lead to important developments in policy and prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Gorey
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Dynamics of Externalizing (DEXTER) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Lauren Kuhns
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eleni Smaragdi
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emese Kroon
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Department of Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Research Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. box 15916, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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40
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Bukiya AN. Physiology of the Endocannabinoid System During Development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1162:13-37. [PMID: 31332732 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-21737-2_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system comprises endogenously produced cannabinoids (CBs), enzymes of their production and degradation, and CB-sensing receptors and transporters. The eCB system plays a critical role in virtually all stages of animal development. Studies on eCB system components and their physiological role have gained increasing attention with the rising legalization and medical use of marijuana products. The latter represent exogenous interventions that target the eCB system. This chapter summarizes knowledge in the field of CB contribution to gametogenesis, fertilization, embryo implantation, fetal development, birth, and adolescence-equivalent periods of ontogenesis. The material is complemented by the overview of data from our laboratory documenting the functional presence of the eCB system within cerebral arteries of baboons at different stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna N Bukiya
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
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41
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Albertella L, Le Pelley ME, Yücel M, Copeland J. Age moderates the association between frequent cannabis use and negative schizotypy over time. Addict Behav 2018; 87:183-189. [PMID: 30053703 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined whether age and frequent cannabis use interact to influence the trajectories of positive and negative schizotypy over time. Participants were 155 cannabis users, aged 15-24 years old, assessed over a 12-month period at 6-monthly intervals. The analyses examined the influence of age, frequent use, and time on positive and negative schizotypy. The current study found that among frequent cannabis users, younger age was associated with increased negative schizotypy over time, while among occasional cannabis users, younger age was associated with decreasing negative schizotypy over time. The current findings have implications for understanding how cannabis use may influence psychosis risk differently depending on age and frequency of use, as well as bring together past mixed findings on the relationship between negative schizotypy and cannabis use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Albertella
- Brain and Mental Health research hub, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, VIC, Australia; School of Psychology, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia; National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | | | - Murat Yücel
- Brain and Mental Health research hub, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, VIC, Australia
| | - Jan Copeland
- National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cannabis Information and Support, NSW, Australia
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42
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Leishman E, Murphy MN, Murphy MI, Mackie K, Bradshaw HB. Broad and Region-Specific Impacts of the Synthetic Cannabinoid CP 55,940 in Adolescent and Adult Female Mouse Brains. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:436. [PMID: 30542263 PMCID: PMC6277767 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Relative to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the synthetic cannabinoid CP 55,940 (CP) is significantly more potent and efficacious at cannabinoid receptors, the primary targets for endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs). eCBs belong to a large, interconnected lipidome of bioactive signaling molecules with a myriad of effects in optimal and pathological function. Recreational use of highly potent and efficacious synthetic cannabinoids is common amongst adolescents, potentially impacting brain development. Knowledge of the molecular outcomes of synthetic cannabinoid use will be important to develop more targeted therapies for synthetic cannabinoid intoxication and to prevent long-term disruption to the CNS. Here, we test the hypothesis that CP has age and region-dependent effects on the brain lipidome. Adolescent [post-natal day (PND) 35 and PND 50] and young adult female mice were given either an acute dose of CP or vehicle and brains were collected 2 h later. Eight brain regions were dissected and levels of ∼80 lipids were screened from each region using HPLC/MS/MS. CP had widespread effects on the brain lipidome in all age groups. Interestingly, more changes were observed in the PND 35 mice and more were reductions in a lipid’s concentration, including region-dependent lowering of eCB levels. CP levels were highest in the cortex at PND 35, the hippocampus at PND 50, and in the cerebellum in the adult. These data provide novel insights into how high-potency, synthetic cannabinoids drive different, age-dependent, cellular signaling effects in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Leishman
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Michelle N Murphy
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Michelle I Murphy
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Ken Mackie
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Heather B Bradshaw
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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43
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Effect of repeated juvenile exposure to Δ9‑tetrahydrocannabinol on anxiety-related behavior and social interactions in adolescent rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 69:11-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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44
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Mooney-Leber SM, Gould TJ. The long-term cognitive consequences of adolescent exposure to recreational drugs of abuse. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 25:481-491. [PMID: 30115770 PMCID: PMC6097759 DOI: 10.1101/lm.046672.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
During adolescence, the brain continues to undergo vital developmental processes. In turn, complex behavioral and cognitive skills emerge. Unfortunately, neurobiological development during adolescence can be influenced by environmental factors such as drug exposure. Engaging in drug use during adolescence has been a long-standing health concern, especially how it predicts or relates to drug using behavior later in life. However, recent findings suggest that other behavioral domains, such as learning and memory, are also vulnerable to adolescent drug use. Moreover, it is becoming increasingly apparent that deficits in learning and memory following adolescent drug use endure into adulthood, well after drug exposure has subsided. Although persistent effects suggest an interaction between drug exposure and ongoing development during adolescence, the exact acute and long-term consequences of adolescent drug exposure on substrates of learning and memory are not fully understood. Thus, this review will summarize human and animal findings on the enduring cognitive deficits due to adolescent drug exposure. Moreover, due to the fact that adolescents are more likely to consume drugs of abuse legally available to adults, this review will focus on alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana. Further, given the critical role of the frontal cortex and hippocampus in various learning and memory domains, the impact adolescent use of the previous listed drugs on the neurobiology within these regions will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Mooney-Leber
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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45
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Walker SE, Papilloud A, Huzard D, Sandi C. The link between aberrant hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity during development and the emergence of aggression—Animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 91:138-152. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 10/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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46
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Simone JJ, Baumbach JL, McCormick CM. Sex-specific effects of CB1 receptor antagonism and stress in adolescence on anxiety, corticosterone concentrations, and contextual fear in adulthood in rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2018; 69:119-131. [PMID: 30063953 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a paucity of research regarding the role of endogenous cannabinoid signalling in adolescence on brain and behaviour development. We previously demonstrated effects of repeated CB1 receptor antagonism in adolescence on socioemotional behaviours and neural protein expression 24-48 h after the last drug administration in female rats, with no effect in males. Here we investigate whether greater effects would be manifested after a lengthier delay. In Experiment 1, male and female rats were administered either 1 mg / kg of the CB1 receptor-selective antagonist AM251, vehicle (VEH), or did not receive injections (NoINJ) daily on postnatal days (PND) 30-44 either alone (no adolescent confinement stress; noACS), or in tandem with 1 h ACS. On PND 70, adolescent AM251 exposure reduced anxiety in an elevated plus maze in males, irrespective of ACS, with no effects in females. On PND 73, there were no group differences in either sex in plasma corticosterone concentrations before or after 30 min of restraint stress, although injection stress resulted in higher baseline concentrations in males. Brains were collected on PND 74, with negligible effects of either AM251 or ACS on protein markers of synaptic plasticity and of the endocannabinoid system in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. In Experiment 2, rats from both sexes were treated with vehicle or AM251 on PND 30-44 and were tested for contextual fear conditioning and extinction in adulthood. AM251 females had greater fear recall than VEH females 24 h after conditioning, with no group differences in within- or between-session fear extinction. There were no group differences in long-term extinction memory, although AM251 females froze more during a reconditioning trial compared with VEH females. There were no group differences on any of the fear conditioning measures in males. Together, these findings indicate a modest, sex-specific role of CB1 receptor signalling in adolescence on anxiety-like behaviour in males and conditioned fear behaviour in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Simone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada.
| | - Jennet L Baumbach
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada.
| | - Cheryl M McCormick
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada; Department of Psychology, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada; Center for Neuroscience, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada.
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47
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Abush H, Ghose S, Van Enkevort EA, Clementz BA, Pearlson GD, Sweeney JA, Keshavan MS, Tamminga CA, Ivleva EI. Associations between adolescent cannabis use and brain structure in psychosis. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2018; 276:53-64. [PMID: 29628270 PMCID: PMC5959798 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Associations between cannabis use and psychotic disorders suggest that cannabis may be a contributory risk factor in the neurobiology of psychosis. In this study, we examined brain structure characteristics, total and regional gray matter density (GMD), using Voxel Based Morphometry, in psychotic individuals, stratified by history of cannabis use (total n = 109). We also contrasted GMD estimates in individual diagnostic groups (schizophrenia/bipolar I disorder) with and without history of adolescent cannabis use (ACU). Individuals with psychosis as a whole, both with and without history of ACU, had lower total and regional GMD, compared to healthy controls. ACU was associated with attenuated GMD reductions, compared to non-users, especially in the schizophrenia cases, who showed robust GMD reductions in fronto-temporal and parietal cortex, as well as subcortical regions. Notably, total and regional GMD estimates in individuals with psychosis and ACU were not different from controls with no ACU. These data indicate that the history of ACU in psychotic individuals is associated with attenuated GMD abnormalities. Future investigations targeting potential unique etiological and risk factors associated with psychosis in individuals with ACU may help in understanding of the neurobiology of psychotic disorders and novel treatment options for these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hila Abush
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX, USA
| | - Subroto Ghose
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX, USA
| | | | - Brett A Clementz
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, BioImaging Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA
| | - Godfrey D Pearlson
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT, USA; Institute of Living, Hartford Hospital, Hartford CT, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX, USA
| | | | - Carol A Tamminga
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX, USA
| | - Elena I Ivleva
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX, USA.
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Renard J, Rosen LG, Loureiro M, De Oliveira C, Schmid S, Rushlow WJ, Laviolette SR. Adolescent Cannabinoid Exposure Induces a Persistent Sub-Cortical Hyper-Dopaminergic State and Associated Molecular Adaptations in the Prefrontal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:1297-1310. [PMID: 26733534 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhv335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence suggests that adolescent exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocanabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in marijuana, increases the risk of developing schizophrenia-related symptoms in early adulthood. In the present study, we used a combination of behavioral and molecular analyses with in vivo neuronal electrophysiology to compare the long-term effects of adolescent versus adulthood THC exposure in rats. We report that adolescent, but not adult, THC exposure induces long-term neuropsychiatric-like phenotypes similar to those observed in clinical populations. Thus, adolescent THC exposure induced behavioral abnormalities resembling positive and negative schizophrenia-related endophenotypes and a state of neuronal hyperactivity in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) pathway. Furthermore, we observed profound alterations in several prefrontal cortical molecular pathways consistent with sub-cortical DAergic dysregulation. Our findings demonstrate a profound dissociation in relative risk profiles for adolescent versus adulthood exposure to THC in terms of neuronal, behavioral, and molecular markers resembling neuropsychiatric pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Renard
- Addiction Research Group.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
| | - Laura G Rosen
- Addiction Research Group.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
| | - Michael Loureiro
- Addiction Research Group.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
| | | | | | - Walter J Rushlow
- Addiction Research Group.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.,Department of Psychiatry, The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1
| | - Steven R Laviolette
- Addiction Research Group.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.,Department of Psychiatry, The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1
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49
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Duperrouzel J, Hawes SW, Lopez-Quintero C, Pacheco-Colón I, Comer J, Gonzalez R. The association between adolescent cannabis use and anxiety: A parallel process analysis. Addict Behav 2018; 78:107-113. [PMID: 29149635 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Associations between anxiety symptoms and cannabis use have been previously explored, yet the directionality of these associations remains highly debatable. The present study aims to prospectively examine patterns of cannabis use and anxiety during adolescence focusing on their co-development and bidirectional influences. METHODS Adolescents (n=250) of predominantly Hispanic ethnicity, aged 14-17 at baseline, exposed to drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes completed three (bi-annual) assessments across a 1-year period. Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) and parallel process growth curves were conducted to examine potential associations in the joint development of anxiety and cannabis use. RESULTS Our results suggest that, during adolescence, early cannabis use has a greater influence on prospective reports of anxiety, than vice versa. Specifically, adolescents exhibiting higher initial levels of cannabis use displayed more persisting self-reported anxiety across time, as compared to those with less frequent use (b=0.28, p=0.024). In contrast, early levels of anxiety were not found to influence rates of change in cannabis use. These analyses considered concurrent depression, alcohol, and nicotine use. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that prevention and targeted intervention programs for cannabis use in adolescence would benefit from anxiety management strategies; in order to reduce subsequent anxiety associated with cannabis use. Future studies should continue to employ longitudinal designs across larger time periods and aim to replicate these findings with more diverse samples.
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50
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Kerridge BT, Pickering R, Chou P, Saha TD, Hasin DS. DSM-5 cannabis use disorder in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III: Gender-specific profiles. Addict Behav 2018; 76:52-60. [PMID: 28755613 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to present current information on the prevalence, correlates, comorbidity and quality of life among men and women with cannabis use disorder (CUD). METHODS In 2012-2013, 36,309 respondents ≥18years old participated in face-to-face interviews in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. RESULTS Prevalence of 12-month CUD was greater among men (3.5%) than women (1.7%). Women experienced shorter duration from onset of cannabis use to onset of CUD than men (mean=5.8years, men; mean=4.7years, women). In both men and women, prevalences of CUD were greater among young adults, Blacks, and those with lower income and greater among Native American women relative to White women. CUD was highly comorbid with other substance use disorders, PTSD, ASPD and borderline and schizotypal PDs for men and women. Quality of life for individuals with CUD was low regardless of gender. CONCLUSIONS DSM-5 CUD among men and women is highly prevalent, comorbid and characterized by low quality of life. Results highlighted the need for integrated treatment of CUD and comorbid disorders and the urgency of identifying and implementing effective prevention and intervention approaches, especially for those sociodemographic subgroups for which both men and women are at greater risk for the disorder.
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