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Cannabis Use: Neurobiological, Behavioral, and Sex/Gender Considerations

  • Addictions (M Potenza and M Brand, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To summarize the current literature on the effects of cannabinoids in humans and to discuss the existing literature on the sex- and gender-related differences in the effects of cannabinoids.

Recent Findings

Cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids are associated with risk of addiction, cognitive deficits, and mood/psychotic disorders. Preclinical and emerging clinical data suggest greater sensitivity to the effects of cannabinoids in women.

Summary

Cannabis is one of the most commonly used drugs with increasing rates of use. Women in particular may be at a greater risk of adverse outcomes given the previously described “telescoping effect” of substance use in women. Human data examining the sex- and gender-related differences in the effects of cannabinoids and factors underlying these differences are very limited. This represents a critical gap in the literature and needs to be systematically examined in future studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Anahita Bassir Nia & Harsimar Kaur

  2. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Claire Mann

  3. School of Medicine, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Yale University, Psychiatry Service/116A, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA

    Mohini Ranganathan

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  1. Anahita Bassir Nia
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Correspondence to Mohini Ranganathan.

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Dr. Ranganathan reports grants from Insys Therapeutics, outside the submitted work. Dr. Bassir Nia, Dr. Mann, and Dr. Kaur do not have anything to disclose.

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All cited studies/experiments with human or animal subjects have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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Bassir Nia, A., Mann, C., Kaur, H. et al. Cannabis Use: Neurobiological, Behavioral, and Sex/Gender Considerations. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 5, 271–280 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40473-018-0167-4

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