title: New vistas on cannabis use disorder.
abstract: Cannabis sativa preparations are the most consumed illicit drugs for recreational purposes worldwide, and the number of people seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder has dramatically increased in the last decades. Due to the recent decriminalization or legalization of cannabis use in the Western Countries, we may predict that the number of people suffering from cannabis use disorder will increase. Despite the increasing number of cannabis studies over the past two decades, we have gaps of scientific knowledge pertaining to the neurobiological consequences of long-term cannabis use. Moreover, no specific treatments for cannabis use disorders are currently available. In this review, we explore new research that may help fill these gaps. We discuss and provide a solution to the experimental limitation of a lack of rodent models of THC self-administration, and the importance this model can play in understanding the neurobiology of relapse and in providing a biological rationale for potential therapeutic targets. We also focus our attention on glial cells, commenting on recent preclinical evidence suggesting that alterations in microglia and astrocytes might contribute to the detrimental effects associated with cannabis abuse. Finally, due to the worrisome prevalence rates of cannabis use during pregnancy, we highlight the associations between cannabis use disorders during pregnancy and congenital disorders, describing the possible neuronal basis of vulnerability at molecular and circuit level. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in Cannabinoid Neurobiology".
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frau
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Kalivas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Sade
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chioma
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio (VA), Italy.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zamberletti
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio (VA), Italy.
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rubino
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio (VA), Italy; Zardi Gori Foundation, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: daniela.parolaro@uninsubria.it.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parolaro
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects*
keywords: Cannabis use disorder; Glia cells; Perinatal cannabis; Reward; THC self-administration