title: Cognitive and behavioural aspects of Prader-Willi syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a review of the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Research in the last 12 months has provided a descriptive prognosis of psychosis in PWS and highlighted the possible genes associated with the increased risk of psychosis for those with maternal uniparental disomy (mUPD). Several studies investigating social and communication skills have shown people with PWS to have difficulty with core, receptive and expressive language skills, interpreting emotional valence in faces, playing with children of their own age, understanding personal space and a developmental delay in the theory of mind. These social and communication deficits are often more pronounced in those with mUPD. Two recent clinical trials of oxytocin provide mixed results and highlight the need for an improved understanding of the neurobiological characteristics of the PWS brain. A recent pilot study suggests N-acetylcysteine may be a viable treatment for skin picking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent advances have contributed to our understanding of the emotional and behavioural problems associated with PWS, and provided directions for further research.
authors.affiliation: aFaculty of Health Science bBrain and Mind Research Institute cCentre for Disability Research and Policy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Lauren J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Stewart L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Einfeld
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic