Raloxifene recovers effects of prenatal immune activation on cognitive task-induced gamma power

Abstract

There is currently no treatment available for the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, but evidence suggests that selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) may provide relief. Our recent animal model data showed that a lack of female sex hormones in mice impairs the ability of hippocampal neurons to synchronise and generate oscillations within the frequency range of 30–80 Hz (gamma power) leading to cognitive impairment, while both estradiol and the SERM, raloxifene, recovered this. Given that cognitive impairment is accompanied by abnormal gamma power in schizophrenia, this study aimed to determine the effects of raloxifene on gamma power during spatial memory tasks in the prenatal imm..