Summary
Tay-Sachs disease is a rare hereditary disease that affects young children, primarily Ashkenazi Jews, French Canadians, and other isolated or self-selecting populations. Caused by the lack of an enzyme that leads to a buildup of fats in nerve and brain cells, it gradually destroys the affected cells, leading to a loss of mental and physical abilities, and, eventually, death. In this fascinating offering, Tay-Sachs Disease, Second Edition discusses the nature of the disease, why it affects certain groups of people more often than others, how genetic screening can help detect carriers of the Tay-Sachs gene, and what options genetic testing and counseling provide for having children. Student researchers will discover the new medical treatments being used experimentally to treat Tay-Sachs disease, as well as the new genetic treatments that may someday provide a means of curing this degenerative condition.
About the Author(s)
Evelyn B. Kelly has a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She has over 21 books published mostly on genetics and medicals topics and over 400 articles. She lives in Ocala, Florida.
Jeri Freedman has a B.A. from Harvard University and spent 15 years working in companies in the biomedical and high technology fields. She is the author of more than two dozen other nonfiction young adult books as well as several plays and, under the name Ellen Foxxe, is the coauthor of two science fiction novels. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.