title: Cannabis and adolescent brain development.
abstract: Heavy cannabis use has been frequently associated with increased rates of mental illness and cognitive impairment, particularly amongst adolescent users. However, the neurobiological processes that underlie these associations are still not well understood. In this review, we discuss the findings of studies examining the acute and chronic effects of cannabis use on the brain, with a particular focus on the impact of commencing use during adolescence. Accumulating evidence from both animal and human studies suggests that regular heavy use during this period is associated with more severe and persistent negative outcomes than use during adulthood, suggesting that the adolescent brain may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of cannabis exposure. As the endocannabinoid system plays an important role in brain development, it is plausible that prolonged use during adolescence results in a disruption in the normative neuromaturational processes that occur during this period. We identify synaptic pruning and white matter development as two processes that may be adversely impacted by cannabis exposure during adolescence. Potentially, alterations in these processes may underlie the cognitive and emotional deficits that have been associated with regular use commencing during adolescence.
authors.affiliation: Turning Point, Eastern Health and Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: dan.lubman@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Dan I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Lubman
authors.affiliation: Turning Point, Eastern Health and Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheetham
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia; Monash Clinical & Imaging Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yücel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002188:Cannabis; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000378:metabolism; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D063388:Endocannabinoids
keywords: Adolescence; Brain development; Cannabis; Cognition; Endocannabinoid; Mental illness