A review of MRI-based studies found that prenatal cannabis exposure is associated with brain differences in frontal, parietal, and temporal regions from in utero through adolescence, but inconsistent methods prevent clear conclusions.
Prenatal health researchers, obstetricians, neurodevelopment scientists, pregnant individuals considering cannabis use, and policy makers.
What the researchers found
Across 9 studies meeting criteria, prenatal cannabis exposure was linked to structural and functional brain differences spanning from in utero to adolescence across multiple MRI modalities, but no consistent trend could be identified due to wide methodological variation.
Why it matters
With rising cannabis use during pregnancy, understanding its impact on fetal brain development is critical — this review reveals how little we know and how inconsistent current research methods are.
The numbers in context
9 studies reviewed; 1 in utero, 2 in infancy, 6 in early adolescence; only 3 included both MRI and behavioral outcomes; differences found in frontal, parietal, and temporal brain regions
How the study worked
Narrative review of post-2019 studies using structural MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging, resting-state fMRI, and/or task-based fMRI to examine prenatal cannabis exposure effects on brain development, yielding 9 qualifying studies.
What this study cannot tell us
Narrative review (not systematic); only 9 studies met criteria; wide variation in exposure assessment methods; difficulty separating cannabis effects from other prenatal exposures; limited behavioral outcome data.
How to read the evidence
Narrative review of a small, heterogeneous literature with no meta-analysis possible — findings are suggestive but far from conclusive.
When this study was published
Published 2026; reviews studies from 2019 onward.
The bigger picture
The sparse and methodologically inconsistent literature on prenatal cannabis exposure and brain development highlights an urgent need for standardized, large-scale longitudinal research as cannabis use during pregnancy increases.
Questions still open
- Do brain structural differences translate to cognitive or behavioral impacts? How do THC potency and timing of exposure affect outcomes? Can standardized research protocols enable future meta-analyses?
Common questions
Does using cannabis during pregnancy affect the baby's brain?
How strong is the evidence on prenatal cannabis and brain development?
Read the original research
Investigating Links Between Prenatal Cannabis Exposure and Brain Development Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques: A Narrative Review.
Biological psychiatry global open science, 6(1), 100624
Citation
Gonçalves, Priscila Dib; Woodruff, James O; Pozzolo Pedro, Maria Olivia; van Dijk, Milenna T; Bruzelius, Emilie; Martins, Silvia S; Bandoli, Gretchen; Potter, Alexandra; Cioffredi, Leigh-Anne; Talati, Ardesheer; Albaugh, Matthew D. (2026). Investigating Links Between Prenatal Cannabis Exposure and Brain Development Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques: A Narrative Review.. Biological psychiatry global open science, 6(1), 100624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsgos.2025.100624
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