Funding outcome

Since Canada legalized cannabis, its recreational use has steadily increased, including among pregnant women, due to wide availability and the misperception that it is risk-free. Cannabis contains over 100 compounds, known as cannabinoids (CBs), that can cross the placenta to reach embryos and fetuses, and can be transferred to newborns through breast milk. CBs can interfere with prenatal and postnatal neurodevelopment, thus disrupting numerous brain functions like sleep and breathing. We hypothesize that perinatal exposure to CBs can impair the central regulation of sleep and breathing, thus leading to early-life health issues. This project aims to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to common CBs during pregnancy and lactation on sleep and breathing patterns in both newborn rats and their mothers, filling a critical yet poorly understood gap in maternal and child health research. In this study, pregnant rats will receive chronic treatment with CBs or a control solution during pregnancy and lactation. We will assess the effects of CBs on sleep and breathing patterns on the dams during pregnancy, after delivery, and after pups weaning. In addition, the breathing and sleep phenotypes of newborn rats will be studied at different developmental ages with appropriate instrumentation. The results of this study will help clarify if cannabis use during pregnancy contributes to sleep and breathing impairments in newborns and mothers. Moreover, due to physiological similarities between rodents and humans, these findings could provide a foundation to support future updates to Health Canada's guidelines about cannabis use during gestation and lactation.