Question: What are the symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease? The most common form of Tay-Sachs disease begins in infancy. Infants with this disorder typically appear normal until the age of 3 to 6 months, when development slows and muscles used for movement weaken. Affected infants lose motor skills such as turning over, sitting, and crawling. As the disease progresses, infants develop seizures, vision and hearing loss, mental retardation, and paralysis. An eye abnormality called a cherry-red spot, which can be identified with an eye examination, is characteristic of this disorder. Children with this severe form of Tay-Sachs disease usually live only into early childhood. Other forms of Tay-Sachs disease are much rarer. Signs and symptoms can begin in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood and are usually milder than those seen with the infantile form of Tay-Sachs disease. As in the infantile form, mental abilities and coordination are affected. Characteristic features include muscle weakness, loss of muscle coordination (ataxia) and other problems with movement, speech problems, and mental illness. These signs and symptoms vary widely among people with late-onset forms of Tay-Sachs disease. The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Tay-Sachs disease. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Abnormality of movement 90% Abnormality of the macula 90% Developmental regression 90% EEG abnormality 90% Hearing impairment 90% Hemiplegia/hemiparesis 90% Hyperreflexia 90% Incoordination 90% Macrocephaly 90% Seizures 90% Hepatomegaly 50% Hypertonia 50% Muscular hypotonia 50% Myotonia 50% Optic atrophy 50% Recurrent respiratory infections 50% Splenomegaly 50% Apathy - Aspiration - Autosomal recessive inheritance - Blindness - Cherry red spot of the macula - Dementia - Exaggerated startle response - GM2-ganglioside accumulation - Infantile onset - Poor head control - Psychomotor deterioration - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
Source: GARD

Question: What causes Tay-Sachs disease ?
Answer: What causes Tay-Sachs disease? Tay-Sachs disease is caused by mutations in the HEXA gene. The HEXA gene provides instructions for making part of an enzyme called beta-hexosaminidase A, which plays a critical role in the brain and spinal cord. This enzyme is located in lysosomes, which are structures in cells that break down toxic substances and act as recycling centers. Within lysosomes, beta-hexosaminidase A helps break down a fatty substance called GM2 ganglioside. Mutations in the HEXA gene disrupt the activity of beta-hexosaminidase A, which prevents the enzyme from breaking down GM2 ganglioside. As a result, this substance accumulates to toxic levels, particularly in neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Progressive damage caused by the buildup of GM2 ganglioside leads to the destruction of these neurons, which causes the signs and symptoms seen in Tay-Sachs disease,
Source: GARD

Question: What are the treatments for Tay-Sachs disease ?
Answer: How might children with Tay-Sachs disease be treated? Although several attempts have been made at purified enzyme replacement therapy for children with Tay-Sachs disease, none has been successful. Cellular infusions and even bone marrow transplantation have been attempted with no evidence of benefit. Because no specific treatment is available for Tay-Sachs disease, treatment is directed at the symptoms and major associated conditions. Treatment is supportive and aimed at providing adequate nutrition and hydration. The airway must be protected. Seizures can be controlled initially with conventional anticonvulsant medications such as benzodiazepines, phenytoins, and/or barbiturates, but the progressive nature of the disease may require alteration of dosage or medication. Infectious diseases should be managed. In advanced disease, good bowel movement should be maintained and severe constipation should be avoided. Good hydration, food additives, stool softeners, laxatives, and other measures should be employed to avoid severe constipation.
Source: GARD