Oral Consumption of Cannabidiol During Pregnancy Alters Behavior in Mouse Offspring

BACKGROUND: Pregnant people use cannabidiol (CBD) to treat nausea, insomnia, anxiety, and pain. However, CBD crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain, where it can affect several targets important for brain development. While consumption of high doses of CBD during pregnancy has been shown to disrupt offspring neurodevelopment, pain sensitivity, and cognitive behavior in mice, lower doses have not been assessed. METHODOLOGY: We administered 10 mg/kg/day CBD by oral gavage to pregnant C57Bl6 mice from embryonic day 5 through birth. We used the puzzle box, the forced swim test, and Hargreaves thermal sensitivity behavior tests and electrophysiology to determine how prenatal CBD exposure affects postnatal behavior and prefrontal cortex physiology. RESULTS: We show that oral consumption of 10 mg/kg/day CBD during pregnancy increases thermal pain sensitivity in male mouse offspring. Furthermore, the same dose impairs cognition and reduces excitability of the prefrontal cortex in female mouse offspring. CONCLUSION: These data show that lower doses of CBD consumption during pregnancy can impair fetal brain development and postnatal behavior.