Tay Sachs Disease
What are Treatments for Tay Sachs?
To date there is no treatment for Tay Sachs disease. However, symptoms treatment can be given to individuals to make them feel more comfortable, and to relieve pain.
Individuals who experience seizures Tegretol can be prescribed that contain anticonvulsants. Patients that experience psychiatric symptoms, which is disorders that have mental and behavioral symptoms, antidepressants or antipsychotic agents may be prescribed it depends on the symptoms that are visible. Research says, that in late-onset form of Tay Sachs the condition worsens if one uses the antidepressants or antipsychotic agents, but there is very little research done on this.
For infantile form of Tay Sachs disease there is mainly no treatments as babies are very young for the harsh medication that is given. But proper nutrition and proper hydration must be given to insure the patient remains healthy. Sooner or later children will need feeding tubes to eat and drink.
As research continues geneticists think some possible cures for Tay Sachs disease maybe the following in the future; however there is still research being done in these areas:
Gene Therapy:
Gene therapy can be used to cure many lysosomal disorders. Working gene can be inserted into the cell that will produce the Hexa A gene that is needed.
Stem Cells:
One way to treat Tay Sachs could be through using embryonic stem cells, or the cells in the bone marrow. These cells are immature cells that have not been developed into a specific cell type (i.e. blood cells). If these cells were taken and implanted in the brain, and were able to function properly, then the stem cells will be able to create the missing Hexa A gene needed to destroy the GM2 Ganglioside.
Bone Marrow Transplant:
The bone marrow holds many stem cells, by destroying the bone marrow and transplanting the donor’s bone marrow into the patient. The goal is to have the stem cells that are present in the bone marrow travel up to the brain and make functioning genes in the brain, to replace the Hexa A protein that was absent.
