Tay-Sachs Disorder

There are many diseases in the world that can have severe negative impacts on a person and their family. Many neurodegenerative diseases are caused by genetic mutations. This essay will be discussing the similarities and differences between the diseases of Tay-Sachs, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Fragile X as well as their symptoms, treatments and intervention strategy’s.

In order to review their inherited genetic risks and help them understand and provide counseling according to their specific needs the genetic counselor should know the Trosacks ' have already established that their unborn child has Tay Sachs disease and based on those needs they should be provided with appropriate guidance and counseling as they progress through their pregnancy. The discussion should include what causes genetic disorders, and what that means to the Trosack couple specifically, including dominant, recessive and x-linked disorders. However, recessive disorders should be fully discussed in this case. Another topic to include in the discussion are what genes and chromosomes are, and the relation to Tay Sachs disease.

Tay-Sachs disease is a rare genetic disorder that destroys the nerves of the brain and spinal cord (the neurons). Tay-Sachs is usually discovered during infancy, the child appears to be on track and developing normal until the first signs of symptoms become apparent. The children typically do not live past the age of 5 due to many symptoms of the disorder/disease. However there have been individuals with Adult Tay-Sachs Disease (ATSD) and Late Onset Tay-Sachs disease (LOTS) in which they develop mild symptoms later on and worsen throughout the years. The symptoms include: loss of motor skills or muscle movement, vision and hearing loss, intellectual disabilities and dementia, and even can cause paralysis. The most common way to notice a child

It has come to my attention that you believe Tay-Sachs disease is less devastating than ALD. To make an assumption does not do you justice and I am here to inform you on each of these demyelinating diseases so you can understand why in fact Tay-Sachs disease is in fact more devastating than ALD

Without this enzyme working properly, there will be a toxic buildup of ganglioside in the brain causing serious and life-threatening complications. (“Student Resources in Context Tay-Sachs “World of Health.Gale,2007.Student Resources in context.Web.22 May 2014”).Which is why the symptoms are so serious and normally result in the death of the person that has this disease. The person doesn't necessarily die from the actual disease sometimes, it can actually be from complications caused by this disease. 1 in 3600 Jewish infants are born with Tay Sachs disease. (“Student Resources in Context Tay-Sachs “World of Health.Gale,2007.Student Resources in context.Web.22 May 2014”). This disease, although it may not seem like it, is a autosomally recessive disease that has to be inherited through parents that either have the disease or are both carriers. Parents can be carriers and not even know it because this disease is recessive so both recessive alleles have to be present in order for the disease to show itself. Interestingly, 1 in 27 eastern European Jews are carriers for this disease. (“Student Resources in Context Tay-Sachs “World of Health.Gale,2007.Student Resources in context.Web.22 May 2014”). Two of the three forms listed above are fatal and result in death not very late after diagnosis. Death normally occurs at a young age as the

Tay Sachs Disease is an inherited disease that results in slow destruction of the central nervous system and sensory systems, which is caused by a mutation resulting in a deficiency of a lysosomal enzyme. The missing enzyme, hexosaminidase A, functions in breaking down the fatty material ganglioside GM2, a chemical found in nerve tissue. Without this enzyme, lipids accumulate in the brain cells and destroy them, resulting in damaged nerve cells, neurological problems, and eventually leading to death several years after birth. The disease was first discovered by Waren Tay, a British ophthalmologist in 1881. Tay-Sachs disease is very rare in the general population and is relatively common among certain ethnic groups such as Eastern Europeans

effective at keeping movement within the joints possible and helps to relieve stiffness of the patients (“Tay-Sachs disease”, 2016). There are a few experimental treatments developing. The first is Tay-Sachs Gene Therapy, this treatment includes introducing genes into diseased cells to try and correcting the mutations such as lysosomal defects (Cachon-Gonzlez, et al., "226. Effective Gene Therapy in an Authentic Mouse Model of Tay-Sachs Related Diseases", 2006). Cross correction mechanism is the proposed mechanism of action.

Well what causes Tay Sachs disease is that there’s something wrong with there fifteenth chromosome with this problem your body has trouble making the protein hexosaminidase A, since your body doesn’t make that anymore gangliosides build up and eventually will kill brain cells. In order for your child to get this disease the defective gene has to be passed down from each parent so that would mean that Tay Sachs disease is a heredity disease. If the defective gene just gets passed down from one parent it means that the child is a carrier of Tay sachs disease, in which this means that if this child marries someone who is also a carrier of Tay Sachs disease that means that there child will absolutely have this disease

Tay Sachs is a genetic disorder that occurs when there is a missing enzyme in the body. This causes a buildup of fatty substances in the nervous system (Gale). Beta-Hemosaminidase, or HexA, is the missing enzyme that causes the various nerve disorders that happen within Tay Sachs (NTSAD). This disease is inherited in a few different areas of the world, but it is most commonly

The genetic mutations that cause this disease are more commonly found in the Ashkenazi people with a Jewish heritage than those with other backgrounds. French-Canadian communities of Quebec, the Old Order amish community in Pennsylvania, and the Cajun population of Louisiana, are more responsible for the mutation for this disease. The HEXA has been discovered for the cause of Tay Sachs. The gene provides for making part of an enzyme, which is cause, "beta-hexosaminidase A", which plays an important role in the spinal cord and brain. Disruptions in the HEXA gene messes with the activity of beta-hexosaminidase A, and then prevents the enzyme from breaking down GM2 ganglioside. This results the the substance accumulating to toxic levels in the neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Continuous damage caused by the build up of GM2-ganglioside leads to the destruction of the neurons and thus causes the signs and symptoms of Tay-Sachs

Tay-Sachs disease, (also known as GM2 gangliosidosis or hexosaminidase A deficiency), is a fatal autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by insufficient activity of the enzyme beta-hexosaminidase A. It is very rare, found more prevalently among certain populations, like those with Eastern European, (Ashkenazi Jewish) heritage (Bethesda, 2014), and usually results in death by the age of four. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the pathology and inheritance patterns of this genetic disorder, and provide the molecular base, prognosis, and possible treatments.

Tay-Sachs disease is an inherited disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Commonly it becomes apparent in infancy. Infants with this disorder usually appear normal until ages 3-6 months, when their development slows and muscles used for movement weaken.

“The carrier rate for Tay-Sachs in the general population is 1/600” (OMIM). Sandhoff Disease is a rare genetic disorder, and it is a severe form of Tay-Sachs that progressively destroys cells in the brain and spinal cord. Since its discovery and analysis of inheritance, there have been advancements of its diagnosis, treatment, research, and its support resources for affected families. Those affected individuals lose motor skills and function of other body parts. As the disease progresses they experience seizures, vision/hearing loss, mental disability, paralysis, and a cherry red spot on the eye. This leads to loss of coordination, alertness, and respitory health. The disease has three forms infantile, juvenile, and late-onset. In infants

Symptoms of Tay Sachs disease is muscle weakness, lacking of muscle coordination, movement issues, problems with speech, and mental issues. The disease is caused by mutations in the HEXA gene. The HEXA gene is responsible for making a part of an enzyme called beta-hexosaminidase A which is located in lysosomes and plays a key role in the brain and spinal cord. The enzyme helps break down a substance called GM2 ganglioside. The mutation will keep the enzyme from breaking down the GM2 and the substance builds up to toxic levels mostly in neurons in the brain and spinal cord. As the GM2 substance builds up even more, the neurons are destroyed and symptoms began to show.

In order for Tay-Sachs disease to be relevant the Hexosaminidase-A (Hex-A) enzyme is either defective or absent. This enzyme is needed to survive because it helps breakdown specific substances such as fats. The massive build-up of lipids called gangliosides affect the central nervous system, which eventually starts to destroy the cell and damages the tissue around it. Most people working in the medical field would define that occurrence as an “abnormal storage”. In order for the child to inherit this disease, both parents must be carriers. However, statistically it is stated there is only a 25 percent chance of the child to be affected if both parents are carriers. The child also has a 50 percent chance of becoming a carrier