Prader-Willi syndrome is caused by an abnormality on chromosome 15 and it does not discriminate between sex or race. The first symptom is usually an insatiable appetite that appears between the ages of two and six. These children often feel constantly hungry, their metabolic rate is lower than normal (so only 60% of the calories of a typical person is required) and their muscle development is weak. The combination of these problems increases the likelihood of secondary health risks later in life, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. In addition to struggling with being overweight, people with PWS are often of normal to slightly-below-normal intelligence and short of stature. Many would be able to live independently if only there were effective treatments to curb their voracious appetite - known as ‘the hunger’. Presently, no such treatment exists and current management of PWS involves living in homes where access to food is strictly controlled (padlocks on fridges and pantries) and there is strict supervision when outside the home.

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There is no current treatment for PWS.  Current management involves living in homes where access to food is strictly controlled (padlocks on fridges and pantries) and there is strict supervision when outside the home. Many would be able to live independently if only there were effective treatments to curb their voracious appetite - known as ‘the hunger’.

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 Garvan researchers are investigating whether the naturally occurring hormones peptide YY (PYY) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP), both of which are secreted from the gut, might be involved in the development and possible treatment for increased appetite and obesity in PWS. They are testing their hypothesis that people with PWS have less circulating PYY or PP than those unaffected, and want to determine whether changes in these satiety hormones are linked to changes in body metabolism and composition. The team also plan to test a licensed medicine that may help improve the management of PWS and prevent the ensuing obesity with all its complications. And there’s another angle to this research. If long-term deficiency of PYY or PP can contribute to increased appetite or obesity, it might be possible to administer additional PYY or PP (either individually or in combination) to reduce appetite and control obesity in otherwise normal individuals. Finding potential treatments for Prader-Willi Syndrome is being made possible by private family donations. Garvan is extremely grateful to those who are enabling us to tackle this challenging area of work 

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