The Effects of Cannabinoids on Stress-Coping Behaviors and Neuroendocrinological Measures in Chronic Unpredictable Stress: A Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

It is unclear if cannabis helps individuals cope with life’s stressors or increases the likelihood of developing stress-related disorders such as depression. Chronic unpredictable stress is a validated model of depression that exposes rodents to a series of frequently-occurring, intermittent stressors over the course of a few weeks. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes existing research using rodents on the effects of cannabinoids on stress-coping behaviors and neuroendocrinological measurements in chronic unpredictable stress. Databases were systematically searched for articles that met inclusion criteria, and effect sizes between control chronic unpredictable stress groups and cannabinoid-treated chronic unpredictable stress groups were calculated. A meta-analysis of the 26included articles indicated that cannabinoids prevent the negative effects of chronic unpredictable stress, suggesting that the development of cannabinoid-based drugs has the potential to treat stress-related disorders such as depression