Aberrant, autistic, and food-related behaviors in adults with Prader-Willi syndrome. The comparison between young adults and adults.

Ogata et al. (2018) compared two adult age groups with Prader-Willi syndrome. They looked at 18- to 28-year-olds and 30- to 45-year-olds. The team used rating scales to measure autism-like behaviors, general problem behaviors, and food issues.

Young adults scored higher on both autism-like and overall problem behaviors. After age 30 these scores dropped. Food behaviors stayed severe in both groups. Age helped autism and general behaviors, but not food seeking.

Saima et al. (2022) extends this picture. They showed that sensory processing trouble predicts higher autism and problem scores in the same adult group. The sensory link gives you a lever: treat sensory issues and you may ease later behaviors.

Dimitropoulos et al. (2013) is an earlier piece of the puzzle. They found that PWS adults with the mUPD genetic type score just as high on social problems as adults with ASD. Hiroyuki’s 2018 data now add a time line: those high social scores can ease after 30, but only if you plan for the long haul.

Estival et al. (2021) seems to disagree with Walley et al. (2005). The 2005 team found no executive-function deficits in PWS adults, while the 2021 group found clear planning problems. The gap is methodological: newer tests caught subtle deficits the old ones missed. Both agree that routine and structure help daily life.

You can stop waiting for food behaviors to fade—they won’t. Build kitchen locks, calorie counts, and supervised shopping into lifelong plans. Do expect social and repetitive behaviors to calm after 30, so keep teaching coping skills in the twenties when motivation is high. Add sensory screens and sensory diets now; Sohei’s data say they may prevent bigger blow-ups later.