Brain medicine :
March 17, 2026
Gabriella Gobbi
Dr. Gabriella Gobbi is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist whose research spans three interconnected areas. Her laboratory established that adolescent cannabis exposure increases vulnerability to depression in animal models and human cohorts, work that informed Quebec's policy raising the legal cannabis age and banning advertising. She discovered and patented novel selective agonists of melatonin MT1 and MT2 receptors, elucidating the MT2 receptor's role in restorative sleep and neuropathic pain, and is advancing a first-in-class MT2-selective partial agonist. She characterized the anxiolytic and prosocial effects of LSD in preclinical models, identifying mTORC1 signaling, and is extending this to psilocybin, DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT while initiating clinical studies to identify biomarkers of psychedelic action. She was the first woman elected President of the Collegium Internationale of Neuropsychopharmacology.
Biological psychiatry
March 16, 2026
Xianglian Wang, Jing Xia, Heyi Luo et al.
Ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects but also causes hyperlocomotion, a side effect linked to increased dopamine activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Cannabidiol (CBD) blocked ketamine-induced hyperlocomotion in mice when given systemically (30 mg/kg) or directly into the VTA (10 μg per mouse). Whole-brain imaging showed that ketamine increased neuronal activity in the VTA, prefrontal cortex, and nucleus accumbens, which CBD reduced. Electrophysiology revealed that ketamine suppressed glycine receptor (GlyR) function, while CBD reversed this dysfunction by antagonizing ketamine-driven delays in GlyR activation. In GlyRα1S296A mice, CBD's effect on hyperlocomotion was abolished, indicating that VTA GlyRα1 signaling, particularly the S296 residue, is essential for CBD's dissociation of ketamine's therapeutic and adverse effects.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
March 1, 2026
Eilidh Macnicol, Michelle Kokkinou, Maria Elisa Serrano Navacerrada et al.
2 citations
THC increases brain functional connectivity and blood flow in rats, while CBD decreases connectivity without affecting blood flow. When combined, CBD moderates THC's effects. Adult male rats received THC, CBD, a combination, or a placebo. Brain scans two hours later showed THC raised whole-brain connectivity and blood flow in cortical and subcortical regions. CBD lowered connectivity metrics. The combination produced moderate increases in both measures. THC specifically strengthened connections between the cortex and hippocampus and between the cortex and striatum, an effect reduced when CBD was present. These distinct neurophysiological profiles suggest cannabinoids induce different brain states, supporting the use of functional neuroimaging in developing cannabinoid-based therapies.
Psychopharmacology
March 1, 2026
Patricia Di Ciano, Sampson Zhao, Pamela Kaduri et al.
2 citations
Taking a low-dose cannabis edible (average 7.3 mg of THC) leads to measurable decreases in verbal learning and memory, specifically on two measures of a free recall task, 150 minutes after ingestion. No effects were found on visual attention or executive function as measured by the useful field of view and trail making tests. Subjective feelings of intoxication increased, but blood THC levels did not correlate with any cognitive performance changes. The results suggest that people who use relatively low doses of cannabis edibles may experience some cognitive decrements while feeling intoxicated.
Psychopharmacology
March 1, 2026
Taren Mieran, Andrew Hill, Mark S Horswill et al.
Medicinal cannabis users who consumed THC oil did not show a decline in their actual ability to detect hazards while driving, but their confidence in that ability dropped. There was no link between how well they thought they performed and how well they actually performed, regardless of THC consumption. After taking THC, users drove slower and kept longer following distances, suggesting they compensated for perceived impairment. Gap acceptance and self-rated driving skills remained unchanged. The findings indicate that frequent medicinal cannabis users may not accurately judge their own hazard perception performance, yet they adopt cautious driving behaviors after THC use.