Consumo de cannabis y neurodesarrollo: ¿por qué son relevantes las diferencias de género?

Abstract

Animal models in neuroscience are an essential tool for the translational investigation of the neurobiological bases of psychiatric disorders, including drug addiction. Despite some limitations, these experimental models are of great relevance for the study of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphisms affecting diverse psychobiological aspects. We will focus on those described for mental disorders including addiction that have been underestimated until recent years and that still require a wider and deeper investigation. Throughout the present manuscript we show and discuss data from animal models based in the neurodevelopmental theory and we pay special attention to the critical neonatal and adolescent periods, the endocannabinoid system as physiological regulator and cannabis as a drug of abuse. We show evidence for a role of the endocannabinoid system in the consequences of early maternal deprivation and also discuss long-term effects of adolescent cannabis exposure, emphasizing the risks of dependence and psychiatric disorders. All these data provide evidence for sex differences in the consequences of both neonatal stress and juvenile cannabinoid exposure, and point out the necessity of considering “sex” (“gender”) as a critical factor in preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies. We also emphasize that a fluent communication among these three approaches in needed is order to improve prevention and therapeutic strategies.