Researchers at UTHealth Houston have launched a study to examine how cannabis use during pregnancy may affect fetal brain development. The project is funded by a $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The research is led by Laura Goetzl, MD, MPH, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. The five-year study aims to develop better screening tools and guidance for pregnant women who use cannabis.
“In recent years, cannabis use among pregnant women has increased, either recreationally or to help relieve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy,” Goetzl said. “Despite this rise, the effects on a baby’s brain are not well understood. Our hope through this research is that we can better identify risk factors and help health care providers give expecting mothers the best possible guidance."
The researchers plan to investigate early biological markers that could show how cannabis exposure impacts a baby's developing brain. Goetzl explained, “During pregnancy, small bubbles called neuronal extracellular vesicles travel from the fetus into the mother’s bloodstream. Through studying these small particles, we hope to gain valuable insight into fetal brain development without invasive testing.”
UTHealth Houston will work with the University of Colorado on this study. The focus will include examining whether prenatal cannabis exposure is linked to changes in brain growth or neurobehavioral outcomes in children, such as an increased likelihood of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism.
The project is supported under award number R01DA060319 by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
