Abstract The very important psychoactive phytocannabinoid from Cannabis Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and its non-psychotropic member is cannabidiol (CBD). These compounds have a variety of pharmacological activities. THC has been approved for the treatment of nausea caused by chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis and chronic and neuropathic pain and research is underway to use it to treat stimulation of dementia, anorexia nervous and Tourette’s syndrome. CBD has therapeutic benefits in Epilepsy, neuroprotective, cancer, inflammatory and anxiety. Recognizing candidate drugs efficiently in the new SARS-CoV2 disease 2019 (Covid-19) is crucial. Cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. They can reduce the uncontrolled cytokine production of acute lung...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract With the legalization of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) and increasing use during pregnancy, it is important to understand its impact on exposed offspring. Specifically, the effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis, on fetal ovarian development and long-term reproductive health are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of prenatal exposure to Δ9-THC on ovarian health in adult rat offspring. At 6 months of age, Δ9-THC-exposed offspring had accelerated folliculogenesis with apparent follicular development arrest, but no persistent effects on circulating steroid levels. Ovaries from Δ9-THC-exposed offspring...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Few studies have examined how Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, impacts brain reward circuitry in humans. In this study, we examined if an acute dose of THC altered resting state functional connectivity between the striatum and prefrontal cortex among healthy young adults with limited cannabis use. Methods Participants received THC (n = 24) or placebo (n = 22) in a double-blind, randomized, between-subject design. Participants completed self-report measures of euphoria and drug-liking throughout the visit. Approximately 120 min after drug administration, participants completed an 8-min resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scan. We utilized seed-based connectivity of...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Advances in drug vapor exposure systems have enabled evaluation of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vapor effects in laboratory animals. The purpose of this study was to 1) establish a range of parameters of THC vapor exposure in rats sufficient to produce a behavioral dose-effect curve in a battery of tasks sensitive to THC; and 2) to investigate sex differences in the effects of THC vapor exposure and THC injection (intraperitoneal, IP) on these behaviors in two strains of outbred rats. Male and female Sprague Dawley and Wistar rats (N = 22, 5–6/sex per group) received THC via...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been the most investigated cannabinoids at the human and preclinical levels, although the neurobiological mechanisms underlying their effects remain unclear. Human experimental evidence complemented by observational studies suggests that THC may have psychotogenic effects while CBD may have antipsychotic effects. However, whether their effects on brain function are consistent with their opposing behavioral effects remains unclear. To address this, here we synthesize neuroimaging evidence investigating the acute effects of THC and CBD on human brain function using a range of neuroimaging techniques, with an aim to identify the key...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabis is the illicit drug most widely used by pregnant women worldwide. Its growing acceptance and legalization have markedly increased the risks of child psychopathology, including psychotic-like experiences, which lowers the age of onset for a first psychotic episode. As the majority of patients with schizophrenia go through a premorbid condition long before this occurs, understanding neurobiological underpinnings of the prodromal stage of the disease is critical to improving illness trajectories and therapeutic outcomes. We have previously shown that male rat offspring prenatally exposed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a rat model of prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE),...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background: Cannabis legalization is expanding, but there are no established methods for detecting cannabis impairment. Aim: Characterize the acute impairing effects of oral and vaporized cannabis using various performance tests. Methods: Participants (N = 20, 10 men/10 women) who were infrequent cannabis users ingested cannabis brownies (0, 10, and 25 mg Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC) and inhaled vaporized cannabis (0, 5, and 20 mg THC) in six double-blind outpatient sessions. Cognitive/psychomotor impairment was assessed with a battery of computerized tasks sensitive to cannabis effects, a novel test (the DRiving Under the Influence of Drugs, DRUID®), and field sobriety tests. Blood THC...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Study Objectives: Determine relationship between cannabis use with 1) expectations of cannabis being a sleep aid, 2) subjective sleep outcomes, and 3) the influence of age on these relationships. Methods: In 152 moderate cannabis users with a wide age range (67% female, mean age = 31.45, SD = 12.96, age range = 21–70; mean days of cannabis use in prior two weeks = 5.54, SD = 5.25) we examined the influence of cannabis use history and behaviors on expectations of cannabis being a sleep aid and sleep outcomes via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)....

Abstract (1) Background: Over the past 10 years, a number of scientific studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of cannabinoid compounds present in the Cannabis Sativa and Indica plants. However, their role in mechanisms leading to neurodegeneration following cerebral ischemia is yet unclear. (2) Methods: We investigated the effects of Cannabis extracts (Bedrocan, FM2) or selected cannabinoids (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabigerol) in rat organotypic hippocampal slices exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), an in vitro model of forebrain global ischemia. Cell death in the CA1 subregion of slices was quantified by propidium iodide fluorescence, and morphological analysis and tissue organization were examined by...

Abstract Background Information on cannabinoids in breast milk and maternal cannabis use is limited. We quantified cannabinoids in plasma and breast milk of breastfeeding mothers and assessed cannabis use patterns. Methods This is a prospective study at a university hospital in a state with legal medical and recreational cannabis. Breast milk and plasma samples along with survey data were collected from volunteers using cannabis in the last 48 h at 2 weeks and 2 months postpartum. Results Twenty subjects were enrolled. Median age (IQR) was 27 (24–34) years. Median (IQR) instances of cannabis use in the last 7 days were visit 1: 17 (6–29) and...