Tay-Sachs By : Brianna and Sydney

What Is It? Tay-Sachs is a hereditary disease in young children that effect the brain and nerve tissue Tay-Sachs disease occurs when the body lacks hexosaminidase A, which is a protein that helps break down a chemical found in nerve tissue called gangliosides. Without this protein, gangliosides, build up in cells, especially nerve cells in the brain. Gangliosides are A fatty (lipid) substance found within the brain and nerve cells

What is it (continued).. This causes mental retardation, convulsions, blindness, and death. Tay-Sachs is passed for parent to child and is most common in Jews

Symptoms Tay-Sachs is usually shown by 6 months old Symptoms may progress over time and get worse Some symptoms are: Chewing & Swallowing become difficult Complete loss of motor skills Blindness Deafness

Lifetime Limitations Live less than five years Juvenile Tay-Sachs have up to 15 years at most There is no cure for Tay-Sachs

Chances The chances of a child inheriting it is one out of four if both parents are carriers but not effected (heterozygous), but three out of four are carriers Key Blue – No Tay-Sachs Red – Tay-Sachs

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