New BIND screener identifies brain-related comorbidities risk in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

In research published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, investigators developed a brief, reliable, and valid screening tool to help identify individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (a neuromuscular disorder) who are at increased risk of brain-related comorbidities, such as language disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety.

The research team developed the questionnaire-based screening tool, called the BIND (Brain Involvement iN Dystrophinopathies) screener, by reviewing the medical literature and incorporating expert consensus, and translated it into 11 languages. The questionnaire asks parents, caregivers, or patients to rate the impact of 18 cognitive, behavioral, and emotional items.

The BIND screener demonstrated strong accuracy in identifying individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who had previously been diagnosed with neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions in an international sample of 835 participants. Additional validation was conducted in a subsample of 90 children and adolescents who underwent in-depth cognitive and clinical assessments.

Families often tell us that cognitive and behavioral difficulties can be as challenging as the physical symptoms of Duchenne. This screener is designed to help identify those concerns earlier, so that children and adults can be referred for appropriate support."

Rubén Miranda, PhD, corresponding author of Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain