Joana Carvalho, PhD, managing science editor —

Adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have a unique gut bacteria composition, characterized by low levels of probiotic species and a high number of other microbes whose potential health and metabolic implications are still unknown, a study has found. The findings indicate that people with PWS may benefit from probiotic…

Growth hormone therapy, a common treatment for children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS),  is also safe and effective at increasing lean muscle mass and lowering body fat in adults with this disease, a review study reports. More work is needed, however, to confirm the therapy’s effects on body composition, as well…

More than 70% of children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have a high risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a study in Chinese patients. The findings also indicated that individuals who were shorter, had excess weight, and experienced obstructive sleep apnea — a condition in…

The types and levels of bacteria and fungi in the gastrointestinal tract are different in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) compared with their peers without the syndrome, a study has found. These differences may be linked to the excessive appetite seen in PWS, but this association needs to…

Loss of the paternal copy of Snord116, a gene associated with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), causes alterations in sleep and feeding responses in a mouse model of the disease, a study reported. Such changes result from an imbalance among different types of nerve cells in the animals’ hypothalamus, a…

Regular adherence to a careful dietary plan can help children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) maintain a normal amount of visceral adipose tissue, the fatty tissue around abdominal organs, a study reported. The study, “Visceral adipose tissue resides within the reference range in children with Prader-Willi syndrome receiving nutritional intervention…

The approach used by diazoxide choline controlled-release (DCCR), Soleno Therapeutics’ investigational oral therapy to reduce appetite in people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), has shown promise in improving insulin sensitivity and reducing body fat in several animal models of obesity linked to excessive eating. The findings were…

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infants with limited womb mobility, polyhydramnios — excessive accumulation of amniotic fluid — low birth weight and muscle tone, feeding difficulties, and also among those born by caesarean section, a study says. Considering PWS…

The specific type of genetic defects in people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is associated with distinct physical characteristics such as height, weight, and hair thickness, a study has found. Yet, treatment with growth hormone (GH) therapy seems equally effective regardless of PWS molecular subtype. The findings were…

Difficulties that people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have in adapting to their surroundings appear to be linked to psychiatric problems, generalized anxiety and hyperactivity, researchers report. Their study, “The Profiles and Correlates of Psychopathology in Adolescents and Adults with Williams, Fragile X and Prader-Willi Syndromes,” which also looked…