McGill University researchers at the Douglas Research Centre have found evidence that heavy cannabis use during pregnancy can cause delays in brain development in the fetus that persist into adulthood.

Using advanced MRI techniques, the team tracked the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure in mice across key developmental stages.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones, making them brittle and prone to fracture. Taking the hormone estradiol can reverse these effects, but it may also increase endometrial and uterine cancer risks. Researchers publishing in ACS’ Nano Letters developed a two-layer shell to encapsulate the hormone so it bypasses the uterus and releases only within an osteoporotic bone. Tests of the drug-delivery system showed improved bone density in treated mice without uterine side effects.