News

People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have a lower heart rate variability than healthy people — an abnormality that worsened after completing a computer task. Since low heart rate variability has been reported as a risk factor for heart failure, the finding indicates that more research is needed to better understand the…

The binding of two proteins called titin and α-actinin ensures that muscles are not ripped apart when they are forced to stretch, according to new research. Scientists believe the identification and study of this protein interaction may offer new possibilities for the treatment of diseases such as muscular dystrophy. The…

Engagement in physical activity can increase the sense of self-worth and belonging to a group, and can help form peer relationships in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (MD), according to a study published in the Journal of Child Neurology.

A Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patient who is now in his 50s gained the notice of researchers, who say his case could illustrate the benefits of noninvasive mechanical ventilation in patients with well-maintained cardiac function. It is the first report of a patient living into his sixth decade. The report, “New Survival…

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s (YNHCH) Muscular Dystrophy Program has been named a Certified Duchenne Care Center by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). PPMD’s Certified Duchenne Care Center Program, which was started in 2014, supports standardized, comprehensive…

The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Talem Technologies will explore the potential of robotic technology to assist people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), using a $600,000 grant awarded by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD). The two-year project is titled “Investigation of the Community Use…

The European Commission has granted Orphan Drug Designation to Benitec Biopharma’s BB-301, an investigational treatment for oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). The decision represents a major advance for OPMD, a rare congenital myopathy, for which the currently used therapeutic strategies involve repetitive surgical interventions that have limited effectiveness. Orphan Drug…

CureDuchenne Cares, a community-based program providing educational and outreach workshops for parents and others caring for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), has just announced its planned events for 2017. CureDuchenne, the non-profit DMD research support organization, pioneered the Cares program to address a perceived urgent need to educate DMD families…

A technique called electrical impedance myography (EIM) can help detect muscle deterioration in people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), according to a study published in the scientific journal Annals of Neurology. The technique is also able to identify the therapeutic effects of corticosteroids and could therefore be a good biomarker in clinical trials.

Many patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) have sleep and respiratory disorders and may benefit from targeted therapy. New research has found that the causes of sleepiness in patients with DM1 are variable, but include poor sleep patterns, obstructive sleep apnea, respiratory failure, and narcolepsy. DM1 is the most common…