Citation: S.K. Rouzer, J. Gutierrez, K.V. Larin, et al., Alcohol &
cannabinoid co-use: Implications for impaired fetal brain development following
gestational exposure, Experimental Neurology (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114318
Abstract
Alcohol and marijuana are two of the most consumed psychoactive substances by pregnant
people, and independently, both substances have been associated with lifelong impacts on fetal
neurodevelopment. Importantly, individuals of child-bearing age are increasingly engaging in
simultaneous alcohol and cannabinoid (SAC) use, which amplifies each drug’s
pharmacodynamic effects and increases craving for both substances. However, to date,
investigations of prenatal polysubstance use are notably limited in both human and non-human
populations.
In this review paper, we will address what is currently known about combined
exposure to these substances, both directly and prenatally, and identify shared prenatal targets
from single-exposure paradigms that may highlight susceptible neurobiological mechanisms for
future investigation and therapeutic intervention. Finally, we conclude this manuscript by
discussing factors that we feel are essential in the consideration and experimental design of
future preclinical SAC studies.