Cognitive and sleep evaluation of Myotonic dystrophy type I: A protocol for a case‐control study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundMyotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is one of the most common inherited muscular dystrophies in adults. It is caused by CTG repeat expansions in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the DMPK gene on Chromosome 19. Apart from muscle, the disease can involve the eye, heart, brain and endocrine system. Cognitive and sleep disturbances are common but poorly recognized non‐motor manifestations of DM1.MethodWe plan to recruit 30 genetically proven DM1 patients from the prospective MRC‐funded International Centre for Genomic Medicine in Neuromuscular Diseases (ICGNMD) cohort. Neuromuscular phenotyping will be done by the same neuromuscular expert. The muscle strength will be assessed by the Medical Research Council scale and Muscular Impairment Rating Scale (MIRS). We will exclude patients with severe depression. An age and sex‐matched control group of 30 healthy participants will be included to evaluate patients’ cognitive profiles. A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation (NPS) to assess multiple cognitive domains will be conducted on all patients. A prescheduled sleep history, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI) and full‐night diagnostic polysomnography will be done in all patients.ResultThe outcomes include the NPS domains comparing cognitive impairment compared to controls and the severity and type of sleep apnea (apnea‐hypopnea index [AHI])ConclusionThe study will investigate the DM1 cognitive profile and its relationship with sleep disturbance using motor scales, neuropsychological assessment and polysomnography.