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FPWR Blog

Endocannabinoids As a Potential Therapy for Hyperphagia in PWS

The mechanisms in the nervous system that control appetite and satiation are complex. And the dysfunctions in those mechanisms that lead to hyperphagia and obesity in people with PWS are likewise complex and unclear. Yet, several hypothalamic appetit...

Topics: Research

Orthopedic Issues and Prader-Willi Syndrome: Q&A With Dr. van Bosse

Like many medical providers, Dr. Harold van Bosse came to specialize on Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) by happenstance. In the late 90s, a pediatric patient with PWS came under his care for treatment of scoliosis. At the time, not much was known about o...

Topics: Research

Studies Show PWS Caregiver Stress Can And Should Be Addressed

Parenting a child with special needs can be full of wonderful unexpected moments of joy such as seeing your child accomplish a difficult task or witnessing him or her make progress in therapies after months of hard work. These are unique and special ...

Topics: Research

Feeding Challenges and PWS: Q&A With Speech Pathologist Sara Parker

Food, hunger, mealtimes, eating — these are all important issues for people with PWS and their families. Sara Parker knows all about feeding challenges and PWS. She's a speech pathologist who specializes in pediatric feeding and has spent more than t...

Topics: News, Research

'We Believe There Will Be Relief For Children With PWS': A Mom's Story

A special contribution by One SMALL Step host Samantha Kalasek Once upon a time, there was a "boy mom" blessed to be outnumbered. She believed she was living a very basic tale until she turned the page and realized it was actually a choose-your-own-a...

Topics: Stories of Hope

Hougland On PWS Research: The Right People Asking The Right Questions

Dr. James Hougland is a multi-award–winning biochemist at Syracuse University and recipient of a 2013 BIG Grant through the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research. FPWR funded his study on ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT), an enzyme that modifies ghrel...

Topics: Research

Researcher Schaaf Predicts Dramatic Increase In PWS Quality of Life

Schaaf-Yang Syndrome (SYS) is a rare genetic condition that shares some clinical features with PWS. SYS is caused by the disruption of the MAGEL2 gene on chromosome 15, which is also missing in people with PWS. People with each of the syndromes exper...

Topics: Research

Accelerating the Development of Treatments for PWS

While genetic therapy has the potential to be transformative for Prader-Willi syndrome, the fact is genetic therapy technology is still in its early stages and it could be many years before it’s viable for PWS. While FPWR continues to move genetic ap...

Topics: Research

Dr. Dimitropoulos: Boosting Social Cognition in PWS With Pretend Play

Imaginative play has an important role in child development. Scientific evidence suggests that the ability to engage in "pretend play" may translate into increased abilities in social interactions and social-cognitive function. However, children with...

Topics: Research