Prader Willi Syndrome and excessive daytime sleepiness

Abstract

Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a range of physical, psychological and physiological abnormalities. PWS patients may also demonstrate a range of abnormalities of sleep architecture and of breathing during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). In the general population EDS is associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). In PWS, by contrast, OSAS is unlikely to fully explain EDS and other factors, including hypothalamic dysfunction are likely to contribute. The present review examines OSAS and hypothalamic dysfunction and other contributing factors to EDS in PWS.