Evaluation of Brain Dysfunction in Patients with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy

December 10, 2024 updated by: Aliaa Hassan Ibrahim Ibrahim, Assiut University
To study the cognitive function & psychiatric aspects of patients with DMD by specific psychometry tests & its relation to quality of life of the patients To evaluate brain structural changes using MRI and correlate them to the cognitive & psychiatric manifestations of the patients To correlate the cognitive function with the neurophysiological tests and imaging done to the patient

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Detailed Description

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is the second most common inherited genetic disease. It is an X-linked disease that affects approximately one in 3300 live male birth. It is caused by the absence or disruption of the dystrophin protein that is a main component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC). It is found in a variety of tissues, mostly skeletal muscle and neuron cells in specific regions of the CNS ashippocampus, the cerebellum and the neocortex. [1, 2] Clinically DMD is characterized by a severe pathology of the skeletal musculature that results in progressive weakness of muscles including cardiac & respiratory muscles leading to the premature death of the individual.

An important aspect of DMD is the neurocognitive function of patients which, despite its non-progressive nature, still greatly affects the quality of life of the patients and their caregivers.[3]

While not all patients exhibit global cognitive impairments, many do show significant deficits in areas such as arithmetic, verbal fluency, working memory, attention, and executive function. A study by Wingeier et al. (2011) found that boys with DMD scored lower than average on IQ tests, particularly in verbal IQ. Other studies have linked specific cognitive impairments to the absence of certain dystrophin isoforms suggesting a genotype-phenotype correlation between mutation and brain affection, particularly Dp140 and Dp260, which are associated with learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).[1, 3, 4]

Many DMD patients face learning difficulties like those seen in developmental dyslexia, this was attributed to the potential role of cerebellar dysfunction & choline deficit in these cognitive dysfunctions, suggesting that metabolic abnormalities in the cerebellum may contribute to the observed impairments. Overall, the research findings emphasize the need for early intervention and highlight the complex interplay of genetic and non-genetic factors in cognitive function among DMD patients.[5-8]

Neuroimaging studies have revealed structural and functional brain abnormalities, with MR spectroscopy and PET showing metabolic abnormalities. Evidence is also emerging for brain regional volume loss, blood oxygen level-dependent signal abnormalities, and altered WM integrity as measured using Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Furthermore, recent imaging studies have highlighted less severe structural abnormalities in patients with retained Dp140 expression compared with those lacking it.[9-11]

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

42

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Children

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Male patients Age children & adolescent (5-18yrs) Patients diagnosed & genetically confirmed DMD, with cross matching of healthy subjects of the same age and number

Exclusion Criteria:

Medical or neurological condition affecting cognition (as endocrinal as Diabetes Mellitus & hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, history of brain trauma, birth asphyxia, neonatal jaundice, …..) Surgical condition that could potentially impact cognitive function Patients of other types of muscular dystrophy Those who refuse to participate in the study Those with sensory disability (as hearing loss, blindness, severe speech delay) Those with non-invasive or invasive ventilation support with inability to speak and answer oral questions

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Screening for early detection and management
Time Frame: 2 years
2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

December 30, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 10, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 10, 2024

First Posted (Estimated)

December 13, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

December 13, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 10, 2024

Last Verified

December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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