Characterization of gut-brain axis outcomes in mice exposed to cannabis in utero

A key component of gut-brain axis regulation is found in the endocannabinoid system (ECS), in which cannabinoid receptors (CB) 1 and 2 are extensively distributed throughout the GI tract and are actively involved in GI motility and sensation [1]. Alterations in the gut-brain axis have been shown to form the basis for the pathophysiology of the disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), previously known as functional GI disorders (FGIDs), which can present as early as infancy and occur at any point in the lifespan [2,3]. While early life factors such as in utero drug exposure and alterations in the gut microbiota have been shown to influence components of the brain-gut-axis, the potential impacts of maternal cannabis exposure on the fetal and early postnatal development on the gut-brain axis, are unknown [4-6]. This project aims to generate novel understandings of the importance of the ECS on the development of the gut-brain axis.