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7420009 
Journal Article 
Hormones and Cerebellar Development 
Koibuchi, N; Ikeda, Y; , 
2020 
Springer International Publishing 
Cham 
Handbook of the Cerebellum and Cerebellar Disorders 
1-25 
Cerebellar development and plasticity involve various epigenetic processes that activate specific genes at different time points, including humoral influences from endocrine cells. Of the circulating hormones, a group of small lipophilic hormones including steroids (corticosteroids, progesterone, androgens, and estrogens) and thyroid hormones help mediate environmental influences on the cerebellum. Receptors for such lipophilic hormones are mainly located inside the cell nucleus (nuclear receptor, NR). They represent the largest family of ligand-regulated transcription factors. In the cerebellum, they are expressed in a specific temporal and spatial pattern. Of the lipophilic hormones, the impact of the thyroid hormone and gonadal steroids on cerebellar development has been studied extensively. Thyroid hormone deficiency during postnatal development results in abnormal morphogenesis and functional impairment. Estrogen and progesterone also play important roles in this process. In addition to the supply from circulation, several gonadal steroids are produced locally within the Purkinje cells (neurosteroids). This chapter discusses the effect of thyroid and steroid hormones on cerebellar development. Neurosteroids that are locally synthesized in the cerebellum are discussed in a different chapter.