Marijuana is the most common illicit drug abused during adolescence, a critical period in brain development. Correlational studies in humans have shown adolescent cannabis use to be associated with cognitive deficits, including deficits in episodic memo...

Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug with rates of use that have steadily increased over the last decade especially in the adolescent population. Chronic abuse can lead to cannabis use disorder (CUD) which has high comorbidity rates with alco...

Clinical and preclinical studies have associated adolescent cannabis exposure with a higher risk to develop neuropsychiatric disorders later in life. It is widely accepted that glutamate and dopamine (DA) dysfunctions are critical to the pathophysiology...

Numerous clinical trials have shown that Δ 9-THC and its synthetic analogs (nabilone and levonantradol) are useful antiemetics in patients receiving chemotherapy. However, the receptor mechanism(s) by which cannabinoids prevent chemotherapy-induced emesis remains unknown. Recently, we have shown that the selective CB1 receptor antagonist SR 141716A can produce emesis in the least shrew in a dose-dependent manner when administered either intraperitoneally (ED50 = 5.5 ± 1.2 mg/kg) or subcutaneously (ED50 = 20.2 ± 1, mg/kg). The latter effect was blocked by Δ9-THC. The purpose of the present study was to investigate: 1) if Δ9-THC can prevent cisplatin-induced emesis in the least shrew, and ii) whether the latter antiemetic effect can be prevented by nonemetic doses of SR 141716A. At 0 time, different groups of shrews received varying doses of Δ9-THC (0, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) and an emetic dose of cisplatin (20 mg/kg, i.p.). The frequency of emesis was recorded for the next 60 min. Administration of Δ9...

Due to the legalization of Cannabis in many jurisdictions and trend of increasing THC content in Cannabis products, an urgent need exists to understand the impact of Cannabis use during pregnancy on fetal neurodevelopment and behavior. To this end, we exposed female Sprague-Dawley rats to Cannabis smoke daily from gestational days 6 to 20 or room-air. Maternal reproductive parameters, offspring behavior, and gene expression in the offspring amygdala were assessed. Body temperature was decreased in dams following smoke exposure and more fecal boli were observed in the chambers before and after smoke exposure in dams exposed to smoke. Maternal weight gain, food intake, gestational length, litter number, and litter weight were not altered by exposure to Cannabis smoke. A significant increase in the male-to-female ratio was noted in the Cannabis -exposed litters. In adulthood, male and female Cannabis smoke-exposed offspring explored the inner zone of an open field significantly less than control offspring. Ge...

Because of the legalization of Cannabis in many jurisdictions and the trend of increasing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in Cannabis products, an urgent need exists to understand the impact of Cannabis use during pregnancy on fetal neurodevelopment and behavior. To this end, we exposed female Sprague Dawley rats to Cannabis smoke daily from gestational day 6 to 20 or room air. Maternal reproductive parameters, offspring behavior, and gene expression in the offspring amygdala were assessed. Body temperature was decreased in dams following smoke exposure and more fecal boli were observed in the chambers before and after smoke exposure in dams exposed to smoke. Maternal weight gain, food intake, gestational length, litter number, and litter weight were not altered by exposure to Cannabis smoke. A significant increase in the male-to-female ratio was noted in the Cannabis -exposed litters. In adulthood, male and female Cannabis smoke-exposed offspring explored the inner zone of an open field significantl...

The phytochemical in cannabis primarily responsible for its psychoactive properties, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), produces seemingly contradictory effects of reward and aversion at different doses. In addition, previous studies demonstrate that cannab...

Substantial evidence indicates inhibitory effects of THC on locomotor activity. The dorsolateral striatum (DLS) has been broadly studied for its role in mediating these locomotor effects. It is widely accepted that these effects occur through presynapti...

Cannabis has been used for several centuries in the treatment of several diseases. The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids has recently resurfaced. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, has recently been shown to decrease epileptic seizur...

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by abnormal brain cell activity leading to recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Pharmacological therapies are commonly used for the treatment of epilepsy, although nearly 30% of patients do not respond to current ...