Researchers have developed a new screening tool, the BIND screener, to identify individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who are at increased risk of brain-related comorbidities. These comorbidities include language disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety. The findings were published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology.
The BIND (Brain Involvement iN Dystrophinopathies) screener is a questionnaire-based tool. Its development involved reviewing medical literature and incorporating expert consensus. It has been translated into 11 languages. The questionnaire consists of 18 cognitive, behavioral, and emotional items, which parents, caregivers, or patients rate for their impact.
The screener demonstrated high accuracy in identifying individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy previously diagnosed with neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions. This was observed in an international sample of 835 participants. Further validation was performed on a subsample of 90 children and adolescents who underwent detailed cognitive and clinical assessments.