What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Mental Health, Neuroprotection.

Where was this research published?

Published in European child & adolescent psychiatry on July 4, 2026.

Prenatal cannabis linked to behavioral issues, not global impairment

Q: What did this Review find?

This systematic review of **72 observational studies** examined how prenatal cannabis exposure affects child development from birth through adolescence. Researchers found that cannabis use during pregnancy does **not cause global neurodevelopmental impairment** across all domains. Instead, the evide

Neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal cannabinoid exposure: a systematic review.

European child & adolescent psychiatry • July 4, 2026 • Review • Moderately Relevant

🤖

AI Summary

This systematic review of 72 observational studies examined how prenatal cannabis exposure affects child development from birth through adolescence. Researchers found that cannabis use during pregnancy does not cause global neurodevelopmental impairment across all domains. Instead, the evidence reveals a pattern of selective vulnerability in specific areas: behavioral regulation, attention, and executive functioning showed the most consistent negative associations, with 73%, 69%, and 70% of studies respectively reporting problems in these domains. Importantly, most studies found no significant associations with global intelligence, language development, or motor skills after accounting for confounding factors like socioeconomic status and maternal education.

The research also identified potential dose-response and timing effects, with stronger associations appearing when cannabis use was heavier or continued after mothers knew they were pregnant. This suggests that not all prenatal cannabis exposure carries the same risk level. However, the review emphasizes significant limitations in current research, including inconsistent definitions of cannabis exposure, varying outcome measurements across studies, and difficulties controlling for confounding variables. These methodological challenges mean the findings, while suggestive, cannot yet provide definitive guidance.

The authors call for cautious clinical counselling rather than absolute prohibition recommendations based on current evidence, while simultaneously highlighting the urgent need for high-quality longitudinal studies with better exposure measurement and stricter control of confounding factors. This reflects the genuine scientific uncertainty: prenatal cannabis use appears to pose selective rather than universal developmental risks, but researchers need better studies to understand exactly which children are vulnerable and why.

📄 Original Abstract

Cannabis use during pregnancy is increasing worldwide, yet evidence regarding its long-term neurodevelopmental consequences remains heterogeneous and inconclusive. This systematic review aimed to synthesise observational evidence on the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes from birth to adolescence. A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO was conducted from database inception to October 2025. Observational studies evaluating neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal cannabis exposure were included. Outcomes were grouped by domain and age group. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Due to substantial heterogeneity in exposure definitions, outcome measures, and confounder adjustment, findings were synthesised narratively. Seventy-two studies met inclusion criteria. Associations appeared to be domain-specific rather than reflecting global neurodevelopmental impairment. Behavioural dysregulation, attention-related difficulties, and executive functioning showed the most consistent associations with prenatal cannabis exposure, with 73%, 69%, and 70% of studies within these domains reporting negative associations, respectively. In contrast, most studies found no significant associations with global cognition (84%), language (92%), or motor development (60%) after adjustment for confounders. Several cohorts suggested stronger associations with heavier or persistent cannabis exposure after maternal awareness of pregnancy, indicating possible dose-response and timing effects. Current evidence does not consistently support global neurodevelopmental impairment following prenatal cannabis exposure but suggests a pattern of selective vulnerability in behavioural, attention and executive regulatory domains. Together, these findings support cautious clinical counselling and highlight the need for high-quality longitudinal studies with improved exposure and outcome measurements, and rigorous confounder control.

Paper Type

📚 Review

Publication

Journal: European child & adolescent psychiatry
Published: July 4, 2026
PMID: 42400661
DOI: 10.1007/s00787-026-03126-z

Authors (3)

Maria Leonor Domingues Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto, 4200-319, Portugal. leonorddomingues@gmail.com.
Bruno Miguel Fonseca UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, 4050-313, Portugal.
Susana Isabel Sá Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto, 4200-319, Portugal.