In clinical studies, prenatal marijuana exposure has been associated with alterations in newborn and infant state regulation112, 113, deficits in short-term memory, and verbal and abstract/visual reasoning among preschool and early school-age children114-116, and statistically smaller head circumference at ages 9-12 years among children born to heavy marijuana users117. In contrast to the more global developmental impairments seen with prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure, prenatal marijuana exposure has been shown to result in selective executive function (EF) deficits in discrete areas such as complex visuo-perceptual tasks105, sustained attention118, and hyperactivity, impulsivity, and delinquency119, 120. These and other findings have led researchers to hypothesize that the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on higher cognitive functions are mediated preferentially through the prefrontal cortex, and its connections with other parts of the brain105, 121.
