ABSTRACT
Prolonged exposure to cannabinoids from early development until weaning markedly affects the ontogeny of the neuronal system, with changes that are evident at immature and early postpubertal ages, particularly in male offspring. The fact that prenatal cannabinoid exposure produces important effects on the ontogeny of brain dopaminergic neurons suggests that cannabinoid receptors could be operative during fetal development. This chapter addresses the effects produced by maternal consumption of cannabinoids during gestation and lactation periods on neural development, with emphasis on the maturation of brain dopaminergic neurons in the rat. Maternal alcoholism profoundly affects the brain development of offspring, producing mental retardation, severe hyperactivity, and behavioral abnormalities. A number of studies has examined the effects of perinatal methadone exposure at doses sufficient to produce maternal and fetal dependence. Less information is available on the possibility of alterations in the development of the nervous system caused by maternal consumption of cannabinoid derivatives during gestation and lactation.
