Cannabis: A Cause of Long-Term Deleterious Effects Finally Identified

A team from Bordeaux and Barcelona has identified a mechanism behind the long-term psychological consequences of cannabis use in mice.

Generic image of brain cells observed under a microscope.
AI

Generic image of brain cells observed under a microscope.

A major breakthrough in understanding the effects of cannabis on the adolescent brain has been achieved by researchers in Bordeaux and Barcelona.

How can the long-term psychological consequences induced by cannabis exposure during adolescence be explained? The team led by Giovanni Marsicano at the Neurocentre Magendie in Bordeaux, in collaboration with a team from Barcelona, has for the first time identified a mechanism responsible for this phenomenon in mice. This discovery could eventually pave the way for the development of preventive approaches.
The research, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology under the reference C. Ioannidou et al, highlights a transient mitochondrial switch that underlies the lasting effects of adolescent cannabis use.
Based on information from the official source: Bordeaux Neurocampus (université de Bordeaux) (01/10/2026)