Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are crucial for brain development, with ω-3 species supporting neuronal membrane architecture, synaptogenesis and cognitive maturation, and ω-6 species linking lipid metabolism to neuronal signalling via the endocannabinoid system (ECS), the network of receptors, lipid mediators, and enzymatic pathways that orchestrate neurodevelopmental...
Retail sales of intoxicants, including derived intoxicating cannabis products (DICPs) such as delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and hallucinogenic mushrooms, have rapidly increased throughout the US, despite their sale being federally illegal. This study assessed DICP and hallucinogenic mushroom availability in US smoke shops with differing DICP and psilocybin laws. In May-October 2025, using...
Frontiers in PsychologyMay 28, 2026Lidia Venero-Hidalgo, Francisca Carvajal, Fernando Rodrı́guez de Fonseca et al.
Introduction: Cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood has been associated with neurocognitive alterations. However, limited attention has been paid to whether these findings vary according to developmental stage and regional context. This systematic review examined the neurocognitive effects of cannabis use in adolescents and young adults, with particular attention to age-related...
Purpose Current laws prohibiting access to illicit drugs contribute to drug harms as manufacturers and distributors of illicit substances have variable influence over drug supply and quality. Legislation introduced in New Zealand (NZ) in 2021 aimed to address such harm by enabling licenced drug checking providers to directly analyse samples from consumers. This paper aims to detail the use of...
Cannabis continues to be the most widely used illicit drug, usually used recreationally without significant problems occurring. Concerns remain over long term health of users and the possibility of associations with mental illness. Surveys suggest regular use remains common amongst teenage males, taking place concurrently with the period when teenagers are engaged in identity development and...
The rapid evolution of the novel psychoactive substances market has blurred the boundaries between synthetic “designer drugs” and other emerging psychoactive products distributed outside traditional regulatory frameworks. Recently, increasing recreational and self-therapeutic interest in Amanita muscaria has led to its growing presence within the broader landscape of substances used in patterns...
NeuroscienceMay 25, 2026Caitlyn C Costa, Aoife S Weiss, Caroline M Limbaker et al.
Rates of cannabis use continue to rise, however, the neurocognitive effects are not fully characterized. Deficitsin memory processes, especially in adolescents, have been reportedfollowing exposure toΔ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive componentin cannabis. Treatments addressing these deficits have been unsuccessful. Here, we test the hypothesis that vaporized THC/cannabis...
Functional recovery in cannabis-induced first-episode psychosis (FEP) remains incompletely understood. Dissociative symptoms, frequently associated with cannabis use, may represent a key but underexplored determinant of functional trajectories. This prospective cohort study followed 72 patients meeting DSM-5 criteria for cannabis-induced psychotic disorder over 24 months. Functional recovery...
New research on the relationship between cannabis and psychosis was released, and a presentation on how low‐dose buprenorphine combined with ketamine reduced suicidality in adults with major depressive disorder was published and presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent and disabling psychiatric disorder, representing a major global health burden across all age groups. Increasing evidence indicates that its pathophysiology involves a complex interplay between chronic stress, dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, immune activation, and neuroinflammation. Persistent HPA axis...
Background Cannabis use is associated with increased risk of psychotic disorders, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. We used genetic data to investigate the molecular pathways contributing to the association between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and psychosis. Methods We conducted a cross-disorder meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on schizophrenia and...
Cannabinoids modulate brain network activity, yet the spatial organization and temporal evolution of their electrophysiological effects remain insufficiently characterized in animal models. Here, we investigated how acute oral administration of ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; 10 mg/kg), cannabidiol (CBD; 10 mg/kg), and their combination influences resting-state EEG dynamics in freely moving rats....
PsychopharmacologyMay 11, 2026Gabrielle Abbott, Lisa-Marie Greenwood, Jessica G. Bartschi et al.
Abstract Introduction The regular consumption of cannabis has been associated with changes in cognition. However it is unclear how cognitive performance changes over time with continued cannabis use and whether cognitive alterations predate the onset of cannabis use. We conducted a narrative review of longitudinal observational naturalistic studies of cognition in people who use cannabis....
NeuropsychopharmacologyMay 9, 2026Ana Maria Raymundi, Nathalie Carla Cardoso, Gabriel Costa Lourenço et al.
In PTSD, microglia are more engaged in fear-related circuits, where they participate in fear memory processing responses. The reconsolidation-impairing effect of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of Cannabis, is typically linked to cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1) signaling. THC also engages peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and both...
Cannabis withdrawal in cannabis use disorder (CUD) increase the risk of relapse and lacks effective treatments. The endocannabinoid enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) may influence cannabis use and withdrawal, but the relationship between FAAH levels and withdrawal symptoms remains unclear. This study aims to investigate changes in FAAH levels during short-term abstinence from cannabis...
Abstract: Introduction: Limited prior studies and case reports have assessed the effects of marijuana use and withdrawal on sleep architecture, including alterations in REM sleep. In particular, these have suggested an increase in REM and reduction in REM latency with abrupt discontinuation of chronic marijuana use. This case report examines a patient with suspected narcolepsy type 1 and...
NeuroSciMay 7, 2026Andrei Buciuta, Horia George Coman, Bogdan Nemeș et al.
Background: Only a subset of cannabis users develop persistent psychosis, implying that genetic vulnerability modulates risk. HLA-DR/DQ variation is a strong non-dopaminergic risk locus for schizophrenia, but its role in cannabis-related psychosis is unclear. Methods: We studied 296 cannabis users from Romanian psychiatric services, grouped as non-psychosis (0), non-schizophrenia psychosis (1)...
PsychopharmacologyMay 7, 2026Emillie Beyer, Martine Skumlien, Govinda Poudel et al.
Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) affects ~ 50 million individuals worldwide and is associated with alterations in brain reward pathways. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) show promise in reducing substance use and aberrant brain function in substance use disorders (SUD), but the effects on CUD or brain reward function have not been investigated. To examine whether a 2-week MBI vs. active...
CannabisMay 6, 2026Mark J. Crisafulli, Jessica N. Flori, Michael Dunn
Objective: There have been widespread increases in cannabis use as recreational and medical use has become legal across the globe. Changes to the chemical makeup of cannabis may have changed residual effects experienced by individuals who use cannabis, and more individuals may be affected. Method: We conducted a meta-analysis examining the neurocognitive effects of cannabis after abstinence...
: Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide, and its increasing legalization has intensified interest in its neurological effects. This paper reviews existing research on how cannabis use affects brain function, focusing on cognitive processes, brain structure, and long-term outcomes. The primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol...