New Clue for Understanding the Hunger of Prader-Willi Syndrome: Research Volunteers are Needed for Further Studies

In the July 2010 issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Dr. Joan C. Han, a pediatric endocrinologist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and her colleagues reported the results of a small pilot study of 13 patients with PWS. They observed that patients with PWS appear to have lower blood concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein that is believed to play an important role in controlling appetite and may provide some answers to understanding the insatiable hunger of PWS and other conditions associated with hyperphagia. Dr. Han and her colleagues recently received a grant from the PWSA (USA) to conduct further studies on BDNF, and they are seeking patients with PWS (ages 0-18 years old) for this research. Participation involves providing medical information and a blood sample. For more information, please contact Dr. Han at (301) 435-7820 or hanjo@mail.nih.gov.

 

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