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Updated: Sep 9, 2025
Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
Published on: February 28, 2025
Neurodevelopmental effects of perinatal exposure to cannabis on progeny: A narrative review
Chidimma Doris Azubuike1, Oliver Grundmann2, Amie J Goodin1
1Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Insights
Perinatal cannabis exposure effects on child neurodevelopment are unclear. Prenatally exposed children show higher ADHD risk, but cognitive and mental health outcomes are inconsistent.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Perinatal cannabis exposure is a growing public health concern.
- Existing evidence on neurodevelopmental outcomes is inconsistent.
- Further research is needed to clarify the impact of cannabis exposure on children.
Purpose of the Study:
- Synthesize current clinical and preclinical evidence on neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Examine effects of perinatal cannabis exposure on cognitive function and mental health.
- Identify gaps in the literature and suggest future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of PubMed and other literature sources.
- Prioritization of high-level evidence and recent clinical studies.
- Categorization of findings into cognitive measures and mental health diagnoses.
Main Results:
- Inconsistent findings regarding cognitive and learning effects.
- Consistent association between prenatal cannabis exposure and increased ADHD risk.
- No significant association found with anxiety or depression; higher THC linked to male aggression.
Conclusions:
- Most findings on perinatal cannabis exposure remain inconclusive.
- Future research needs standardized measures and reliable exposure assessments.
- Consideration of cannabis concentration and generational effects is crucial.
Objective:
The certainty of effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes resulting from perinatal cannabis exposure is yet to be established. This review synthesizes current clinical and preclinical evidence on neurodevelopment and related functional outcomes in offspring exposed to cannabis during pregnancy or early childhood. Additionally, gaps in the literature and suggestions to bridge these gaps are provided.
Method:
A PubMed database search identified highest level of evidence studies focusing on in utero and early childhood cannabis exposure using keywords broadly describing outcomes alongside informal, spontaneous, and reference searches to supplement search hits. Priority was given to recent clinical studies. Findings were categorized into cognitive measures (memory, attention, and executive functioning), and diagnosis of mental health disorders (including: autism spectrum disorder [ASD], Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], depression, anxiety, learning delays, and school-related performance). `.
Results:
Findings on effects on cognition, autism, and learning are not consistent; however, compared to children who were unexposed, prenatally exposed children consistently have higher ADHD risk, and no significant association with anxiety and depression. Exposure to higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol was found to be associated with more aggressive behavior in males compared to females.
Conclusion:
Most findings on perinatal cannabis exposure remain inconclusive. To enhance our understanding of associated neurodevelopmental effects, future research should reassess exposure over time, employ standardized cognitive measures, use reliable exposure assessments, and methods that consider cannabis concentration and composition across generations.
