Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a crucial modulatory system in which interest has been increasing, particularly regarding the regulation of behavior and neuroplasticity. The adolescent–young adulthood phase of development comprises a critical period in the maturation of the nervous system and the ECS. Neurogenesis occurs in discrete regions of the adult brain, and this process is linked to the modulation of some behaviors. Since marijuana (cannabis) is the most consumed illegal drug globally and the highest consumption rate is observed during adolescence, it is of particular importance to understand the effects of ECS modulation in these early stages of adulthood. Thus, in this article, we sought to summarize recent evidence demonstrating the role of the ECS and exogenous cannabinoid consumption in the adolescent–young adulthood period; elucidate the effects of exogenous cannabinoid consumption on adult neurogenesis; and describe some essential and adaptive behaviors, such as stress, anxiety, learning, and memory. The data summarized in this work highlight the relevance of maintaining balance in the endocannabinoid modulatory system in the early and adult stages of life. Any ECS disturbance may induce significant modifications in the genesis of new neurons and may consequently modify behavioral outcomes.
Highlights
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a crucial modulatory system in which interest has been increasing, regarding the regulation of behavior and neuroplasticity
We show the effect of stimulating the ECS. * As mentioned in the text, bromo-20 -deoxyuridine (BrdU) is not an endogenous molecular marker of neurogenesis. ** To increase the concentration of endocannabinoids, we primarily refer to the inhibition of their degrading enzymes
Recurrent abbreviations listed in alphabetical order: Elevated plus maze (EPM), forced swim test (FST), Morris water maze (MWM), novel object recognition test (NORT), novelty suppressed feeding test (NSFT), object location task (OLT), open field test (OFT), social interaction test (SIT), startle reflex (SR), sucrose preference test (SPT)
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Other countries, such as the USA, legalized the medicinal and controlled consumption of some derivatives of cannabis in the 1990s, in the 2000s, the approval of its recreational use began. Rusby et al (2018) proposed that there may be an immediate impact of legalization of recreational marijuana in Oregon (USA), increasing its use in youths (13–15 years old) who had already started using the drug [10]. Legalization did not increase cannabis use in age-matched people who did not use it previously These data became vital since it is well known that early use of marijuana results in a 2 to 5-fold greater probability of abuse and/or dependence on other illicit drugs (such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin) compared with that in subjects who had not been exposed to cannabis [11].
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