News

Adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have difficulty recognizing facial expressions, which may contribute to their poor social skills, a study reveals. The researchers found that people with PWS also show atypical, autistic-like features, depending on the specific genetic cause of the disease. These findings expose…

Telomeres — a marker of cell division and lifespan — were found to be shorter in young adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) than in healthy controls, which could be a sign of premature aging, a study reports. The study, “Evidence for accelerated biological ageing in young adults…

Early diagnosis and treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome may delay obesity and minimize the risk for associated complications, a study suggests. The study, “Early Diagnosis in Prader–Willi Syndrome Reduces Obesity and Associated Co-Morbidities,” was published in the journal Genes, and was led by researchers at the University…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to LV-101 (intranasal carbetocin), a treatment candidate for people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). This designation is granted to promising therapies intended to treat serious diseases with unmet medical needs. It aims to quicken treatment development by…

Rare disease-themed videos glowed on a large screen before an audience of people in wheelchairs, with crutches, and bearing oxygen tanks this Nov. 9 and 10 in San Francisco. Disorder: The Rare Disease Film Festival strives to eventually host a film about every one of the nearly 7,000 rare…

A Phase 2b/3 clinical trial of livoletide, a treatment candidate for excessive eating in people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), has completed recruitment of participants who are 8 to 65 years old. However, enrollment of patients from 4 to 7 years old…

Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have high levels of a protein called LIGHT/TNFSF14, which may contribute to obesity and low bone mineral density (BMD), a study suggests. The research, “High levels of LIGHT/TNFSF14 in Prader-Willi syndrome,” was presented at the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology 2019 meeting in…

Daily consumption of a common probiotic significantly lowered the percentage of abdominal fat, improved insulin resistance, and reduced social withdrawal in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome, a study has found. The research, “Effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis on children with Prader-Willi syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial,”…

Treatment with growth hormone for eight years led to a lower spine curvature in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) who developed scoliosis, a preliminary Dutch study reports. The research, “Effects of eight years growth hormone treatment on the onset and progression of scoliosis in children with Prader-Willi syndrome,”…

Supervised exercise sessions at home are an effective strategy to improve the levels of physical activity and walking capacity among women with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a new study suggests. The research, “Increasing physical activity in adult women with Prader–Willi syndrome: A transferability study,” was published in the Journal…