Prenatal CBD exposure disrupted early development in mouse pups differently by sex | Research

The takeaway

Mouse pups exposed to CBD in the womb showed sex-specific disruptions: males gained more weight and produced shorter calls, while females had impaired motor and discriminatory abilities.

Pregnant individuals considering CBD use, obstetricians, and researchers studying prenatal cannabinoid safety.

CBD-exposed females had impaired motor and discriminatory abilities

What the researchers found

Male pups from CBD-treated dams gained more weight than controls. Males emitted shorter ultrasonic calls while females made more high-frequency calls. CBD-exposed female pups showed reduced motor and discriminatory abilities in homing behavior tests. There were significant qualitative changes in the vocal repertoire of both sexes.

Why it matters

CBD use during pregnancy is increasing because CBD is widely perceived as safe. This study challenges that perception by showing sex-specific developmental disruptions in offspring exposed prenatally.

The numbers in context

CBD dose: 3 mg/kg daily from gestational day 5-18. Male pups gained more weight. Ultrasonic vocalizations measured at postnatal day 10. Homing behavior tested at postnatal day 13. Only females showed impaired motor and discriminatory abilities.

How the study worked

C57BL6/J mouse dams received daily CBD (3 mg/kg, subcutaneous) or vehicle from gestational day 5 to 18. Offspring were assessed for body weight, ultrasonic vocalizations (day 10), and homing behavior (day 13) using deep learning analysis.

What this study cannot tell us

Mouse study with uncertain human relevance. Single CBD dose tested. Subcutaneous administration does not match typical human oral use. Short-term behavioral measures may not predict long-term outcomes. Small number of behavioral tests.

How to read the evidence

Well-designed animal study using deep learning analysis for behavioral assessment, but mouse model limits human applicability.

When this study was published

Published in 2022.

The bigger picture

These findings add to growing evidence that prenatal cannabinoid exposure, even with the "non-psychoactive" CBD, can alter neurodevelopment. The sex-specific pattern mirrors similar findings with THC exposure.

Questions still open

Do these early behavioral disruptions predict lasting neurodevelopmental effects? Would different CBD doses produce different sex-specific patterns? How do these effects compare to prenatal THC exposure?

Common questions

Is CBD safe during pregnancy?

This mouse study found that prenatal CBD exposure caused sex-specific developmental disruptions, including impaired motor abilities in females and excess weight gain in males, challenging the assumption that CBD is universally safe.

Does prenatal CBD affect boys and girls differently?

In mice, prenatal CBD exposure affected males and females differently: males gained more weight and changed their vocalizations, while females showed reduced motor and discriminatory abilities.

Read the original research

In utero exposure to cannabidiol disrupts select early-life behaviors in a sex-specific manner.

Translational psychiatry, 12(1), 501

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Iezzi, Daniela; Caceres-Rodriguez, Alba; Chavis, Pascale; Manzoni, Olivier J J. (2022). In utero exposure to cannabidiol disrupts select early-life behaviors in a sex-specific manner.. Translational psychiatry, 12(1), 501. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02271-8