Cannabis and Brain Development Flashcards
How does cannabis use affect adolescent brain development?
Cannabis use during adolescence can permanently impair higher brain functions by altering dopamine signaling and disrupting normal brain wiring and structure. This is due to significant changes in the endocannabinoid system, particularly in the prefrontal cortex.
What are the effects of prenatal exposure to THC on unborn babies?
Prenatal exposure to THC impacts brain development and behavioural outcomes from before birth through various life stages, increasing the responsiveness of the mesolimbic dopamine system and enhancing susceptibility to opioid addiction later in life.
What are the epigenetic effects of cannabis use during critical developmental periods?
THC exposure during prenatal and adolescent periods can alter gene expression related to neurotransmitter systems like dopamine and glutamate, potentially leading to long-term behavioral changes and conditions such as schizophrenia
What are the long-term effects of cannabis on brain structure?
Long-term cannabis use during developmental periods leads to changes in the hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex volumes, and structural alterations in the amygdala, striatum, cerebellum, and cortical thickness. These changes disrupt normal brain development and pruning processes.
What are the potential psychiatric risks associated with early cannabis exposure?
Early and prolonged exposure to cannabis increases the risk of psychiatric disorders and drug addiction, linked to changes in brain structure and function, and altered reward-associated behaviors
How does cannabis use affect the dopamine system during adolescence?
Cannabis use during adolescence can enhance dopamine signaling in a way that may have differential effects compared to a mature brain. This alteration affects the brain’s reward circuitry and increases vulnerability to drug addiction.
What consistent structural changes are observed in cannabis users?
Studies show consistent findings of smaller hippocampal and orbitofrontal cortex volume, with additional alterations in total brain volume, amygdala, striatum, cerebellum, and cortical thickness variability.
How does THC from cannabis affect brain chemistry?
THC affects brain chemistry by binding to cannabinoid receptors in the brain, influencing neurotransmitter release and affecting functions such as memory, pleasure, and concentration.
