A trial of oxytocin to improve behavior and cognition in Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader Willi Syndrome is characterized by a range of well-recognised symptoms including overeating and other food obsessions, rage attacks or tantrums, skin-picking, obsessions, abnormalities of sleep breathing and body temperature, and diificulties in learning and understanding social cues. These difficulties have serious impacts on the health of individuals with PWS and their families. There is evidence from brain studies that PWS individuals have abnormalities in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus that are likely to be causing these abnormalities. A natural hormone derived from the hypothalamus, oxytocin may deficient. In this study, investigators experienced in PWS behavior, oytocin nasal spray trials, PWS genetics, and psychopharmacology propose a trial of oxytocin nasal spray to assess its efficacy in improving these problems.