The Role of Cannabinoids in CNS Development: Focus on Proliferation and Cell Death

• Published in: Cellular and molecular neurobiology Vol. 43; no. 4; pp. 1469 - 1485
• Main Authors: Bockmann, Eduardo Cosendey, Brito, Rafael, Madeira, Lucianne Fragel, da Silva Sampaio, Luzia, de Melo Reis, Ricardo Augusto, França, Guilherme Rapozeiro, Calaza, Karin da Costa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.05.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anorexia; Apoptosis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cannabinoids; Cannabinoids - pharmacology; Cannabis; Cannabis - metabolism; Cell Biology; Cell death; Cell differentiation; Cell fate; Cell Proliferation; Developmental stages; Embryogenesis; Endocannabinoid system; Endocannabinoids - metabolism; Female; Humans; Marijuana; Neurobiology; Neurosciences; Pregnancy; Review Paper; Seizures; Seizures - chemically induced; Synaptogenesis; Development; Cannabinoids; Proliferation; Cell death; Endocannabinoids; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0272-4340; 1573-6830
• DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01263-y

The active principles of Cannabis sativa are potential treatments for several diseases, such as pain, seizures and anorexia. With the increase in the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, a more careful assessment of the possible impacts on embryonic development becomes necessary. Surveys indicate that approximately 3.9% of pregnant women use cannabis in a recreational and/or medicinal manner. However, although the literature has already described the presence of endocannabinoid system components since the early stages of CNS development, many of their physiological effects during this stage have not yet been established. Moreover, it is still uncertain how the endocannabinoid system can be altered in terms of cell proliferation and cell fate, neural migration, neural differentiation, synaptogenesis and particularly cell death. In relation to cell death in the CNS, knowledge about the effects of cannabinoids is scarce. Thus, the present work aims to review the role of the endocannabinoid system in different aspects of CNS development and discuss possible side effects or even opportunities for treating some conditions in the development of this tissue.