Alternative titles and symbols : Prader-labhart-willi syndrome;
Included titles and symbols : Prader-willi syndrome chromosome region; Prader-willi-like syndrome associated with chromosome 6; PWCR;
Description : Prader-Willi syndrome is characterized by diminished fetal activity, obesity, muscular
hypotonia, mental retardation, short stature, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and small
hands and feet. It can be considered to be an autosomal dominant disorder and is caused
by deletion or disruption of a gene or several genes on the proximal long arm of the
paternal chromosome 15 or maternal uniparental disomy 15, because the gene(s) on the
maternal chromosome(s) 15 are virtually inactive through imprinting. Horsthemke and
Wagstaff (2008) provided a detailed review of the mechanisms of imprinting of the
Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome (105830) region. See also the chromosome 15q11-q13
duplication syndrome (608636), which shows overlapping clinical features.;
Inheritance : Autosomal dominant (loss of paternal allele);
Molecular basis : Contiguous gene syndrome caused by deletion of the paternal allele of the imprinted
region at 15q11.2;
Laboratory abnormalities : Microdeletion of 15q11 in 70% of patients confirmed by fluorescent in situ hybridization;