As legalization of cannabis and cannabinoids spreads in the United States, access and use of cannabis during the prenatal period has increased. There is limited knowledge on the effects of prenatal cannabis use on the parental brain. One way to identify potential effects of cannabis on parenting is through studying parenting brain functions and behavior. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has been shown to be associated with lower positive parenting and lower sensitivity to infants, but it is unclear by what mechanisms. The following two studies address this gap in knowledge by examining the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period and functional response to infant related stimuli. Study One examines the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period, functional response to infant cries, and explores behavioral interactions between gestation parent and child. This study found that cannabis use over the prenatal period was associated with increased neural response to infant cry sounds particularly within parenting neural networks for emotion regulation, theory of mind, and affective processing. Study Two examines the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period, functional response to infant picture, and explores behavioral interactions between gestation parent and child. This study found that cannabis use over the prenatal period was associated with increased neural response to other (unknown) infant pictures, particularly within parenting neural networks for reward and salience. These studies suggest that cannabis use during the prenatal period affects functional responses to infant important for parenting behavior.
","abstract_html":"<p>As legalization of cannabis and cannabinoids spreads in the United States, access and use of cannabis during the prenatal period has increased. There is limited knowledge on the effects of prenatal cannabis use on the parental brain. One way to identify potential effects of cannabis on parenting is through studying parenting brain functions and behavior. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has been shown to be associated with lower positive parenting and lower sensitivity to infants, but it is unclear by what mechanisms. The following two studies address this gap in knowledge by examining the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period and functional response to infant related stimuli. Study One examines the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period, functional response to infant cries, and explores behavioral interactions between gestation parent and child. This study found that cannabis use over the prenatal period was associated with increased neural response to infant cry sounds particularly within parenting neural networks for emotion regulation, theory of mind, and affective processing. Study Two examines the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period, functional response to infant picture, and explores behavioral interactions between gestation parent and child. This study found that cannabis use over the prenatal period was associated with increased neural response to other (unknown) infant pictures, particularly within parenting neural networks for reward and salience. These studies suggest that cannabis use during the prenatal period affects functional responses to infant important for parenting behavior.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Powers, Shannon"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Pilyoung Kim","Jenalee Doom","Elysia Davis","Jennifer Greenfield","Torri Metz"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z","subjects":["Cannabis","Prenatal cannabis use","Parental brain","Cannabis use disorder (CUD)","Functional response","Developmental Psychology","Maternal and Child Health","Medicine and Health Sciences","Neurosciences","Other Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Social Psychology","Substance Abuse and Addiction"],"languages":["English (eng)"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy and Neural Mechanisms of Parenting: Assessing Neural Responses to Infant Cues and Parenting Outcomes"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Pilyoung Kim","Jenalee Doom","Elysia Davis","Jennifer Greenfield","Torri Metz"],"dc:creator":["Powers, Shannon"],"dc:description.abstract":["As legalization of cannabis and cannabinoids spreads in the United States, access and use of cannabis during the prenatal period has increased. There is limited knowledge on the effects of prenatal cannabis use on the parental brain. One way to identify potential effects of cannabis on parenting is through studying parenting brain functions and behavior. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has been shown to be associated with lower positive parenting and lower sensitivity to infants, but it is unclear by what mechanisms. The following two studies address this gap in knowledge by examining the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period and functional response to infant related stimuli. Study One examines the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period, functional response to infant cries, and explores behavioral interactions between gestation parent and child. This study found that cannabis use over the prenatal period was associated with increased neural response to infant cry sounds particularly within parenting neural networks for emotion regulation, theory of mind, and affective processing. Study Two examines the association between cannabis use during the prenatal period, functional response to infant picture, and explores behavioral interactions between gestation parent and child. This study found that cannabis use over the prenatal period was associated with increased neural response to other (unknown) infant pictures, particularly within parenting neural networks for reward and salience. These studies suggest that cannabis use during the prenatal period affects functional responses to infant important for parenting behavior.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2416"],"dc:language":["English (eng)"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Cannabis","Prenatal cannabis use","Parental brain","Cannabis use disorder (CUD)","Functional response","Developmental Psychology","Maternal and Child Health","Medicine and Health Sciences","Neurosciences","Other Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Social Psychology","Substance Abuse and Addiction"],"dc:title":["Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy and Neural Mechanisms of Parenting: Assessing Neural Responses to Infant Cues and Parenting Outcomes"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z"}