What is Tay-Sachs disease in simple terms?
Tay-Sachs disease is a rare disorder passed from parents to child. It’s caused by the absence of an enzyme that helps break down fatty substances. These fatty substances, called gangliosides, build up to toxic levels in the child’s brain and affect the function of the nerve cells.
How Tay-Sachs disease is caused?
Tay-Sachs disease is caused by a problem in a child’s genes that means their nerves stop working properly. A child can only have it if both parents have this faulty gene. The parents themselves don’t usually have any symptoms – this is known as being a “carrier”.
How Does Tay-Sachs disease affect the cell?
Tay-Sachs disease affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Babies with Tay-Sachs lack a particular enzyme, which is a protein that triggers chemical reactions in cells. The lack of the enzyme, hexosaminidase A, causes a fatty substance to collect.
How is Tay-Sachs disease tested?
To confirm that your baby has Tay-Sachs disease, your doctor will ask you about the child’s symptoms and any hereditary family disorders and will order a diagnostic blood test. The blood test checks the levels of an enzyme called hexosaminidase in the child’s blood. The levels are low or absent in Tay-Sachs disease.
What malfunctioned organelle causes Tay-Sachs disease?
Tay-Sachs is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in both alleles of a gene (HEXA) on chromosome 15. HEXA codes for the alpha subunit of the enzyme β-hexosaminidase A. This enzyme is found in lysosomes, organelles that break down large molecules for recycling by the cell.
What organelles are affected by Tay-Sachs disease?
How Does Tay-Sachs affect the family?
Babies born with Tay-Sachs develop as expected in the first 3 to 6 months of life. Then, within months to a few years, they lose the ability to see, hear, and move. By age 2, most start having seizures. Unfortunately, children with the condition usually do not live past 5 years of age.
Why is the macula red?
The cherry red spot is seen because the macula receives its blood supply from the choroid, supplied by the long and short posterior ciliary arteries, while the surrounding retina is pale due to retinal artery infarction.
What is retinal vein occlusion?
Retinal vein occlusion is a blockage of the small veins that carry blood away from the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye that converts light images to nerve signals and sends them to the brain.
What is the life expectancy of someone with Tay Sachs disease?
Tay Sachs disease is an autosomal recessive, neurodegenerative disease cause by excessive storage of Gm2 ganglioside withinn cell lysomes. Normal motor function first few months of life following by progressive weakness, starting at 2 to 6 months of age. Life expectancy is 2 to 5 years.
What are the signs of Tay Sachs disease?
Early signs and symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease can include: Loss of muscle tone. Exaggerated response to sudden noises. Lack of energy. Loss of motor skills, such as the ability to roll over, crawl, reach for things or sit up.
What is the prognosis for Tay Sachs disease?
Tay-Sachs disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. The classic infantile form is usually fatal by age 2 or 3 years. Death usually occurs due to intercurrent infection. In the juvenile form, death usually occurs by age 10-15 years; preceded by several years of vegetative state with decerebrate rigidity.
What are the symptoms of Tay Sachs?
Adult Tay-Sachs is the mildest form. Symptoms appear during adolescence or adulthood. People with the adult form of Tay-Sachs disease usually have these symptoms: muscle weakness. slurred speech. unsteady gait. memory problems. tremors.