Single exposure to vaporized THC downregulated dopamine receptor genes in mouse hippocampus while CBD altered Wnt signaling genes, with most changes recovering by day 14 except persistent Adcy5 suppression from THC.
Neuroscientists, molecular pharmacologists, cannabis vaping researchers
Drd2 recovered by day 14 but Adcy5 remained suppressed, suggesting persistent molecular effects
What the researchers found
THC upregulated glutamate receptor genes and downregulated dopamine genes (Drd1, Drd2, Gnal, Adcy5); CBD altered Wnt7a and Camk2b; most changes recovered by day 14 except Adcy5; lncRNA-mRNA correlations suggest regulatory mechanisms.
Why it matters
Vaping is the most common cannabis consumption method among young adults, and understanding hippocampal gene expression changes reveals molecular mechanisms behind cognitive effects.
The numbers in context
50mg vaporized CBD or THC; n=5 per group; Drd2 returned to baseline by day 14; Adcy5 remained suppressed through day 14; Wnt7a (CBD) showed gradual recovery.
How the study worked
Male ICR mice exposed to vaporized CBD or THC (50mg, n=5/group); hippocampal RNA sequencing at day 1; qRT-PCR validation at days 1, 3, and 14.
What this study cannot tell us
Single acute exposure; mouse model; 50mg vaporized dose may not reflect human use; only hippocampus examined; gene changes may not translate to behavior.
How to read the evidence
Controlled molecular study with time-course validation, but single-dose design and mouse model limit clinical relevance.
When this study was published
Published 2025
The bigger picture
The finding that most THC-induced gene changes recover within 2 weeks but some persist suggests molecular effects of single cannabis exposure outlast others.
Questions still open
- Does persistent Adcy5 suppression have functional consequences? Would repeated exposures prevent recovery? Do these changes differ in adolescent versus adult mice?
Common questions
What did vaporized THC do to the brain at the gene level?
Were CBD effects different from THC?
Read the original research
Large-Scale Profiling of Coding and Long Noncoding Transcriptomes in the Hippocampus of Mice Acutely Exposed to Vaporized CBD or THC.
International journal of molecular sciences, 26(15)
Citation
Choi, Mi Ran; Kim, Jihun; Park, Chaeeun; Chang, Seok Hwan; Kim, Han-Na; Jin, Yeung Bae; Lee, Sang-Rae. (2025). Large-Scale Profiling of Coding and Long Noncoding Transcriptomes in the Hippocampus of Mice Acutely Exposed to Vaporized CBD or THC.. International journal of molecular sciences, 26(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26157106
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