Pregnant mums-to-be have been warned against getting stoned because it could affect the brain of their unborn baby.
Scientists have released a study which shows growing numbers of women are using cannabis to combat morning sickness as the drug is legalised in states across the US.
Previous research showed that using weed during pregnancy makes the child more likely to develop behavioural problems as well as ‘learning and memory impairments’.
Now a new study of rats has shown dramatic effects in the brains of babies whose mums were exposed to synthetic versions of the chemicals found in marijuana.
‘Based on our research and the previous existing findings in the field, it can be said that using marijuana during pregnancy would not be a wise choice,’ said Priyanka Das Pinky, a graduate student at Auburn University.
‘However, it is also notable that the observed effect in the offspring can vary according to their age and according to the trimester during which they were exposed to the drug as well as dose and route of administration of the drug.’
The research team exposed pregnant rats to a synthetic chemical that activates the same proteins as cannabis, giving them a dose equivalent to ‘moderate-to-heavy’ marijuana use in humans.
This dose caused a reduction in neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAM), a protein that forms connections between brain cells.
However, whilst this sounds scary it could also help doctors to figure out a way of counteracting the effects of weed on unborn babies’ brains.
‘The findings from this study will serve as an excellent premise for future interventions to restore memory in children exposed to cannabis during pregnancy, and for the first time, identify a specific mechanism by which learning and memory impairment occurs and how this impairment can be ameliorated,’ Pinky added.
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