Rompala, G., Nomura, Y., & Hurd, Y. L. (2021). Maternal cannabis use is associated with suppression of immune gene networks in placenta and increased anxiety phenotypes in offspring. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(47), e2106115118.
Rationale: Past studies have associated cannabis use during pregnancy with low birth weight and preterm birth (e.g., Corsi, 2019), but less is known about the psychosocial impacts of the drug.
Method: Researchers used cognitive and physiological tests to evaluate children exposed to cannabis in utero. They evaluated 322 mother-child pairs, by studying hormone levels gathered from hair samples in 3-year-olds, and measures of anxiety, aggression, hyperactivity, and heart rate variability in 4 to 6-year-olds.
Results: Cortisol levels are nearly two times higher in 3-year-old children exposed to cannabis in utero compared to children not exposed. Children exposed to cannabis in utero are also more aggressive, anxious, and hyperactive than children not exposed.
Meaning: These data suggest that maternal cannabis use during pregnancy alters fetal development, resulting in endocrine, cognitive, and behavioral changes in their children.