BackPublished on June 13, 2017
Tay-Sachs disease
A rare, inherited disorder that destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Overview
Tay-Sachs disease is typically found in people with certain ancestry, such as in Eastern European Jews. A fatty substance in the brain destroys nerve cells.
Symptoms
Symptoms of slowed development usually appear around 6 months of age and progress, ultimately leading to death, often around age 4.
Treatments
There is no cure for Tay-Sachs disease, but research is ongoing.