Fetal cannabinoid receptors and the "dis-joint-ed" brain

Microtubule turnover in the growing axons is required for directional axonal growth and synapse formation in the developing brain. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Tortoriello et al () show that the microtubule-binding protein SCG10/stathmin-2 is a specific molecular target for a CB1 receptor-mediated effect of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient of smoked marijuana, in the fetal brain. Considering the role of CB1 in modulating the specification and long-distance migration of neurons in the perinatal brain, this study reveals an interesting mechanism potentially accounting for connectivity deficits during cortical development following exposure to CB1 agonists or THC during pregnancy.