Thyroid hormone receptors function in GABAergic neurons during development and in adults.

The nuclear receptors of thyroid hormone exert a broad influence on brain development and then on adult brain physiology. However the cell autonomous function of the receptors is combined with their indirect influence on cellular interactions. Mouse genetics allows to distinguish between these two mode of action. It revealed that one of the main cell-autonomous functions of these receptors is to promote the maturation of GABAergic neurons. This review presents our current understanding of the action of thyroid hormone on this class of neurons, which are the main inhibitory neurons in most brain areas.