Adult form of Tay-Sachs disease: a video case report

Tay-Sachs disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by β-hexosaminidase A (HexA) enzyme deficiency. There is accumulation of GM2 gangliosides in neuronal lysosomes, which potentiates their toxic effect, thus inducing gradual neurodegeneration. The exact mechanism triggering neuronal death is still unknown. Due to the preserved residual HexA enzyme activity, the adult form of the disease tends to have a milder course than the infantile form. The clinical presentation is non-specific; hence, the disease is significantly underdiagnosed. Our video case report presents a 49-year-old patient with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of adult Tay-Sachs disease. (author)