Vaporized Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in utero has negative effects on attention in a dose- and sex-dependent manner.
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior September 1, 2024 Samantha L Penman, Nicole M Roeder, Jia Wang et al. 9 citations
Prenatal exposure to vaporized THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, may lead to attention deficits and altered memory performance in adolescence. In a rodent study, pregnant rats inhaled THC daily from early pregnancy until birth. Their offspring, raised on either a standard or high-fat diet, were tested in early and late adolescence. Low-dose THC exposure reduced object exploration in memory and attention tests, indicating decreased attention. Female offspring showed even lower attention than males. Some learning pattern differences appeared in the high-dose group during early adolescence, but final memory performance was unaffected. This is the first study to examine vaporized THC's effects on adolescent memory and attention.