Hilary Marusak, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences

Wayne State University School of Medicine

Abstract: The endocannabinoid (eCB) system plays a key role in modulating homeostasis, stress responding, neural development throughout the lifespan. Here, I discuss the role of eCB in shaping neural development, including frontolimbic brain areas critical for modulating stress reactivity and anxiety-related behaviors. I cover recent research showing that eCB signaling is critical for fear extinction, a process that is implicated in the pathophysiology and treatment of anxiety disorders, which are the most common childhood psychiatric disorders. I also discuss the impacts of eCB system disruptions on vulnerable populations, including prenatal cannabis exposure and adolescent cannabis use, as well as therapeutic interventions that target the eCB system in youth (i.e., cannabidiol [CBD], exercise).