A Hidden Mark of a Troubled Past: Neuroimaging and Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal Interactive Effects of Maternal Immune Activation and Adolescent THC Exposure Suggestive of Increased Neuropsychiatric Risk

Abstract Background: Maternal exposure to infections during gestation has been shown to predispose individuals to neuropsychiatric disorders. Additionally, clinical data suggest that cannabis use may trigger the onset of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals. However, the direction of causality remains unclear. Methods: To elucidate this issue, we utilized a rat model of maternal immune activation combined with exposure to increasing doses of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence in both male and female rats. We investigated several behaviors in adulthood relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders,