Small nucleolar (sno) RNAs are a group of small RNAs located in nucleoli that modulate chemical modifications and maturation of ribosomal or other RNAs. Recent data suggest that snoRNA Snord116 is important for the pathogenesis of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) characterized by hyperphagia and obesity. The current study was conducted to assess a potential cellular link between Snord116 and phenotypes of PWS. Data from mice revealed Snord116 expression in the medial hypothalamus, particularly within nuclei that are part of feeding circuitry. High expression of Snord116 was evident in the paraventricular (PVN) and ventromedial (VMH) nuclei, but particularly prevalent in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) according to in situ hybridization. Snord116 expression level in ventral hypothalamic dissections including ARC was significantly greater (by 2-fold) than that in cortex; and its expression level in dorsal hypothalamic dissections including PVN was double that in cortex. The enhanced expression pattern of Snord116 in hypothalamic nuclei was observed at weaning and young adult stages, but less obvious neonatally when expression was significantly more widespread. Therefore the expression of Snord116 likely is regulated developmentally