Prenatal exposure to the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 and carbon monoxide reduces extracellular glutamate levels in primary rat cerebral cortex cell cultures

Effects of waterpipe tobacco smoke and ceftriaxone treatment on the expression of endocannabinoid receptors in mesocorticolimbic brain regions

Chronic tobacco exposure can alter the endocannabinoid (eCB) system, consequently leading to an anxiety state. In this study, we investigated the effects of waterpipe tobacco smoke (WTS) on cannabinoid receptor 1 and 2 (CBR1 and CBR2) gene and protein expression in mesocorticolimbic brain regions. Using elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field (OF) tests, the effects of WTS exposure on withdrawal-induced anxiety-like behavior were examined. The effect of ceftriaxone (CEF), a β-lactam known to upregulate glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1), on anxiety and the expression of cannabinoid receptors was also determined. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: 1) the Control group was exposed only to standard room air; 2) the WTS group was exposed to tobacco smoke and treated with saline vehicle; 3) the WTS-CEF group was exposed to WTS and treated with ceftriaxone; and 4) the CEF group was exposed only to standard room air and treated with ceftriaxone. Rats were exposed to WTS (or room air) for two hours per day, five days per week for a period of four weeks. Behavioral tests (EPM and OF) were conducted weekly during acute withdrawal, 24 h following WTS exposure. Rats were given either saline or ceftriaxone (200 mg/kg i.p.) for five days during Week 4, 30 min prior to WTS exposure. Withdrawal-induced anxiety was induced by WTS exposure but was reduced by ceftriaxone treatment. WTS exposure decreased CBR1 mRNA and protein expression in the NAc and VTA, but not PFC, and ceftriaxone treatment attenuated these effects. WTS exposure did not change CBR2 mRNA expression in the NAc, VTA, or PFC. These findings demonstrate that WTS exposure dysregulated the endocannabinoid system and increased anxiety-like behavior, and these effects were reversed by ceftriaxone treatment, which suggest the involvement of glutamate transporter 1 in these effects.

Pharmacological and Toxicological Effects of Phytocannabinoids and Recreational Synthetic Cannabinoids: Increasing Risk of Public Health

Synthetic Cannabinoids (CBs) are a novel class of psychoactive substances that have rapidly evolved around the world with the addition of diverse structural modifications to existing molecules which produce new structural analogues that can be associated with serious adverse health effects. Synthetic CBs represent the largest class of drugs detected by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) with a total of 207 substances identified from 2008 to October 2020, and 9 compounds being reported for the first time. Synthetic CBs are sprayed on natural harmless herbs with an aim to mimic the euphoric effect of Cannabis. They are sold under different brand names including Black mamba, spice, K2, Bombay Blue, etc. As these synthetic CBs act as full agonists at the CB receptors, they are much more potent than natural Cannabis and have been increasingly associated with acute to chronic intoxications and death. Due to their potential toxicity and abuse, the US government has listed some synthetic CBs under schedule 1 classification. The present review aims to provide a focused overview of the literature concerning the development of synthetic CBs, their abuse, and potential toxicological effects including renal toxicity, respiratory depression, hyperemesis syndrome, cardiovascular effects, and a range of effects on brain function.

Cannabis use during pregnancy and its relationship with fetal developmental outcomes and psychiatric disorders. A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

This study analyze factors associated to cannabis use in pregnant women, its perceived availability, its risk perception and the relationship between prenatal exposure to cannabis and developmental and mental disorders.

OBJECTIVES

We present a review of the literature on cannabis use among pregnant women. The objective is to analyze factors associated to cannabis use during pregnancy and assess the potential effects of prenatal exposure to cannabis on the development of the fetus and the mental health of those exposed.

METHODS

Systematic review of studies on the maternal use of cannabis and the relationship between early exposure and the development of psychiatric disorders in the PubMed database until July 2018 in English and Spanish with the following keywords: Marijuana, Cannabinoids, Mental disorders, Pregnancy, Prenatal Cannabis Exposure, Risk factors.

RESULTS

The use of cannabis among pregnant women is frequent but it has not been extensively researched. Prenatal exposure to cannabis may be associated with affective symptoms and ADHD.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental healthcare professionals who treat women during their fertile life need to be able to explain the relationship between prenatal exposure to cannabis and the presence of developmental and mental disorders.

Prenatal cannabinoid exposure and altered neurotransmission

Marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs worldwide. In addition, use of synthetic cannabinoids is increasing, especially among adolescents and young adults. Although human studies have shown that the use of marijuana during pregnancy leads to adverse behavioral effects, such as deficiencies in attention and executive function in affected offspring, the rate of marijuana use among pregnant women is steadily increasing. Various aspects of human behavior including emotion, learning, and memory are dependent on complex interactions between multiple neurotransmitter systems that are especially vulnerable to alterations during the developmental period. Thus, exploration of neurotransmitter changes in response to prenatal cannabinoid exposure is crucial to develop an understanding of how homeostatic imbalance and various long-term neurobehavioral deficits manifest following the abuse of marijuana or other synthetic cannabinoids during pregnancy. Current literature confirms that vast alterations to neurotransmitter systems are present following prenatal cannabinoid exposure, and many of these alterations within the brain are region specific, time-dependent, and sexually dimorphic. In this review, we aim to provide a summary of observed changes to various neurotransmitter systems following cannabinoid exposure during pregnancy and to draw possible correlations to reported behavioral alterations in affected offspring.

Altering endocannabinoid neurotransmission at critical developmental ages: impact on rodent emotionality and cognitive performance

The endocannabinoid system shows functional activity from early stages of brain development: it plays an important role in fundamental developmental processes such as cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, thus shaping brain organization during pre- and postnatal life. Cannabis sativa preparations are among the illicit drugs most commonly used by young people, including pregnant women. The developing brain can be therefore exposed to cannabis preparations during two critical periods: first, in offspring of cannabis-using mothers through perinatal and/or prenatal exposure; second, in adolescent cannabis users during neural maturation. In the last decade, it has become clear that the endocannabinoid system critically modulates memory processing and emotional responses. Therefore, it is well possible that developmental exposure to cannabinoid compounds induces enduring changes in behaviors and neural processes belonging to the cognitive and emotional domains. We address this issue by focusing on rodent studies, in order to provide a framework for understanding the impact of cannabinoid exposure on the developing brain.

Altered regulation of glutamate release and decreased functional activity and expression of GLT1 and GLAST glutamate transporters in the hippocampus of adolescent rats perinatally exposed to Delta(9)-THC

The long-term effects of perinatal Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) exposure - from gestational day (GD) 15 to postnatal day (PND) 9 - on hippocampal glutamatergic neurotransmission were studied in slices from the 40-day-old offspring of Delta(9)-THC exposed (Delta(9)-THC-rats) and vehicle-exposed (control) dams. Basal and in K+-evoked endogenous hippocampal glutamate outflow were both significantly decreased in Delta(9)-THC-rats. The effect of short Delta(9)-THC exposure (0.1microM) on K(+)-evoked glutamate release disclosed a loss of the stimulatory effect of Delta(9)-THC on hippocampal glutamate release in Delta(9)-THC-rats, but not in controls. In addition, l-[(3)H]-glutamate uptake was significantly lower in hippocampal slices from Delta(9)-THC-rats, where a significant decrease in glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) and glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) protein was also detected. Collectively, these data demonstrate that perinatal exposure to cannabinoids induces long-term impairment in hippocampal glutamatergic neurotransmission that persist into adolescence.