The main psychoactive component of Cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), directly binds to cannabinoid receptor type 1 receptors (CB1R), which are expressed in neuronal circuits that have a critical role in the pathophysiology of addiction-related psychiatric phenotypes (Koob and Volkow, 2010; Mathur and Lovinger, 2012). Recently, we reported multiple lines of evidence that implied a previously unknown ‘cross-generational gateway' state in the offspring of THC-exposed parents (Szutorisz et al, 2014). Adult F1 offspring that were themselves not exposed to THC displayed increased heroin self-administration behavior, changes in the expression of CB1R, dopamine, and glutamatergic receptor genes in the striatum, and altered striatal synaptic plasticity. However, the molecular mechanisms by which parental THC exposure affects gene regulation in the offspring brain remain unknown.
