U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Tay-Sachs disease, variant AB

MedGen UID:
78657
Concept ID:
C0268275
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: GM2 Activator Deficiency; Gm2-gangliosidosis, ab variant
SNOMED CT: Tay-Sachs disease, variant AB (71253000); Hexosaminidase activator deficiency (71253000); GM>2< gangliosidosis, type AB (71253000); GM2 activator deficiency (71253000); AB variant (71253000)
 
Gene (location): GM2A (5q33.1)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0010099
OMIM®: 272750
Orphanet: ORPHA309246

Disease characteristics

Excerpted from the GeneReview: GM2 Activator Deficiency
Acute infantile GM2 activator deficiency is a neurodegenerative disorder in which infants, who are generally normal at birth, have progressive weakness and slowing of developmental progress between ages four and 12 months. An ensuing developmental plateau is followed by progressively rapid developmental regression. By the second year of life decerebrate posturing, difficulty in swallowing, and worsening seizures lead to an unresponsive vegetative state. Death usually occurs between ages two and three years. [from GeneReviews]
Authors:
Changrui Xiao  |  Camilo Toro  |  Cyndi Tifft   view full author information

Additional descriptions

From OMIM
The GM2-gangliosidoses are a group of disorders caused by excessive accumulation of ganglioside GM2 and related glycolipids in the lysosomes, mainly of neuronal cells. GM2-gangliosidosis AB variant is characterized by normal hexosaminidase A (HEXA; 606869) and hexosaminidase B (HEXB; 606873) but the inability to form a functional GM2 activator complex. The clinical and biochemical phenotype of the AB variant is very similar to that of classic Tay-Sachs disease (see 272800) (Gravel et al., 2001).  http://www.omim.org/entry/272750
From MedlinePlus Genetics
GM2 activator deficiency (sometimes called GM2 gangliosidosis, AB variant) is a rare inherited disorder that causes progressive brain injury.   

Most individuals with GM2 activator deficiency have the acute infantile form of the disease.  Signs and symptoms of acute infantile GM2 activator deficiency typically appear between the ages of 4 and 12 months, when development slows and the muscles used for movement weaken. Infants with acute infantile GM2 activator deficiency stop achieving normal developmental milestones and eventually lose previously acquired skills such as turning over, sitting, and crawling. These infants also develop an exaggerated startle reaction to loud noises. Over time, infants with acute infantile GM2 activator deficiency typically experience seizures, vision loss, and intellectual disabilites. They eventually become unable to respond to their environment. An eye abnormality called a cherry-red spot, which can be identified with an eye examination, is characteristic of the infantile form of this disorder. Infants with acute infantile GM2 activator deficiency may survive into early childhood.

Some people with GM2 activator deficiency may develop milder and more variable signs and symptoms later in life. Due to the rarity of this condition, the full spectrum of the late-onset presentation has not been clearly defined.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/gm2-activator-deficiency

Clinical features

From HPO
Chorea
MedGen UID:
3420
Concept ID:
C0008489
Disease or Syndrome
Chorea (Greek for 'dance') refers to widespread arrhythmic involuntary movements of a forcible, jerky and restless fashion. It is a random-appearing sequence of one or more discrete involuntary movements or movement fragments. Movements appear random because of variability in timing, duration or location. Each movement may have a distinct start and end. However, movements may be strung together and thus may appear to flow randomly from one muscle group to another. Chorea can involve the trunk, neck, face, tongue, and extremities.
Dystonic disorder
MedGen UID:
3940
Concept ID:
C0013421
Sign or Symptom
An abnormally increased muscular tone that causes fixed abnormal postures. There is a slow, intermittent twisting motion that leads to exaggerated turning and posture of the extremities and trunk.
Neurodegeneration
MedGen UID:
17999
Concept ID:
C0027746
Cell or Molecular Dysfunction
Progressive loss of neural cells and tissue.
Hyperacusis
MedGen UID:
20497
Concept ID:
C0034880
Sign or Symptom
Over-sensitivity to certain frequency ranges of sound.
Seizure
MedGen UID:
20693
Concept ID:
C0036572
Sign or Symptom
A seizure is an intermittent abnormality of nervous system physiology characterized by a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Apathy
MedGen UID:
39083
Concept ID:
C0085632
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Apathy is a quantitative reduction of interest, motivation and the initiation and persistence of goal-directed behavior, where often the accompanying emotions, thoughts, and social interactions are also diminished. The individual is typically non-reactive to provocations, positive or negative, and appears to not care. Distinguished from lethargy which involves lack of physical or mental energy.
Hyperreflexia
MedGen UID:
57738
Concept ID:
C0151889
Finding
Hyperreflexia is the presence of hyperactive stretch reflexes of the muscles.
Abnormal pyramidal sign
MedGen UID:
68582
Concept ID:
C0234132
Sign or Symptom
Functional neurological abnormalities related to dysfunction of the pyramidal tract.
Cerebral atrophy
MedGen UID:
116012
Concept ID:
C0235946
Disease or Syndrome
Atrophy (wasting, decrease in size of cells or tissue) affecting the cerebrum.
Dementia
MedGen UID:
99229
Concept ID:
C0497327
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
A loss of global cognitive ability of sufficient amount to interfere with normal social or occupational function. Dementia represents a loss of previously present cognitive abilities, generally in adults, and can affect memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior.
Paralysis
MedGen UID:
105510
Concept ID:
C0522224
Finding
Paralysis of voluntary muscles means loss of contraction due to interruption of one or more motor pathways from the brain to the muscle fibers. Although the word paralysis is often used interchangeably to mean either complete or partial loss of muscle strength, it is preferable to use paralysis or plegia for complete or severe loss of muscle strength, and paresis for partial or slight loss. Motor paralysis results from deficits of the upper motor neurons (corticospinal, corticobulbar, or subcorticospinal). Motor paralysis is often accompanied by an impairment in the facility of movement.
Loss of speech
MedGen UID:
107445
Concept ID:
C0542223
Finding
Global developmental delay
MedGen UID:
107838
Concept ID:
C0557874
Finding
A delay in the achievement of motor or mental milestones in the domains of development of a child, including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills, and social and emotional skills. This term should only be used to describe children younger than five years of age.
Spastic tetraparesis
MedGen UID:
658719
Concept ID:
C0575059
Disease or Syndrome
Spastic weakness affecting all four limbs.
Exaggerated startle response
MedGen UID:
329357
Concept ID:
C1740801
Finding
An exaggerated startle reaction in response to a sudden unexpected visual or acoustic stimulus, or a quick movement near the face.
Primitive reflex
MedGen UID:
333065
Concept ID:
C1838319
Finding
The primitive reflexes are a group of behavioral motor responses which are found in normal early development, are subsequently inhibited, but may be released from inhibition by cerebral, usually frontal, damage. They are thus part of a broader group of reflexes which reflect release phenomena, such as exaggerated stretch reflexes and extensor plantars. They do however involve more complex motor responses than such simple stretch reflexes, and are often a normal feature in the neonate or infant.
Myoclonic seizure
MedGen UID:
1385980
Concept ID:
C4317123
Sign or Symptom
A myoclonic seizure is a type of motor seizure characterized by sudden, brief (<100 ms) involuntary single or multiple contraction of muscles or muscle groups of variable topography (axial, proximal limb, distal). Myoclonus is less regularly repetitive and less sustained than is clonus.
Hypertonia
MedGen UID:
10132
Concept ID:
C0026826
Finding
A condition in which there is increased muscle tone so that arms or legs, for example, are stiff and difficult to move.
Hypotonia
MedGen UID:
10133
Concept ID:
C0026827
Finding
Hypotonia is an abnormally low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle). Even when relaxed, muscles have a continuous and passive partial contraction which provides some resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia thus manifests as diminished resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia is not the same as muscle weakness, although the two conditions can co-exist.
Poor head control
MedGen UID:
322809
Concept ID:
C1836038
Finding
Difficulty to maintain correct position of the head while standing or sitting. Infant head lag is observed when the head seems to flop around or lags posteriorly behind the trunk. Several articles have maintained that head lag should be absent by age 3 to 4 months.
Axial hypotonia
MedGen UID:
342959
Concept ID:
C1853743
Finding
Muscular hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone) affecting the musculature of the trunk.
Generalized hypotonia
MedGen UID:
346841
Concept ID:
C1858120
Finding
Generalized muscular hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone).
Aspiration
MedGen UID:
751786
Concept ID:
C2712334
Finding
Inspiration of a foreign object into the airway.
GM2-ganglioside accumulation
MedGen UID:
341335
Concept ID:
C1848920
Finding
Cellular accumulation of GM2 gangliosides.
Blindness
MedGen UID:
99138
Concept ID:
C0456909
Disease or Syndrome
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception defined as a profound reduction in visual perception. On the 6m visual acuity scale, blindness is defined as less than 3/60. On the 20ft visual acuity scale, blindness is defined as less than 20/400. On the decimal visual acuity scale, blindness is defined as less than 0.05. Blindness is typically characterized by a visual field of no greater than 10 degrees in radius around central fixation.

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVTay-Sachs disease, variant AB

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Vyas M, Deschenes NM, Osmon KJL, Chen Z, Ahmad I, Kot S, Thompson P, Richmond C, Gray SJ, Walia JS
Int J Mol Sci 2023 Sep 27;24(19) doi: 10.3390/ijms241914611. PMID: 37834060Free PMC Article
Shaimardanova AA, Solovyeva VV, Issa SS, Rizvanov AA
Int J Mol Sci 2023 Feb 11;24(4) doi: 10.3390/ijms24043627. PMID: 36835039Free PMC Article
Leal AF, Benincore-Flórez E, Solano-Galarza D, Garzón Jaramillo RG, Echeverri-Peña OY, Suarez DA, Alméciga-Díaz CJ, Espejo-Mojica AJ
Int J Mol Sci 2020 Aug 27;21(17) doi: 10.3390/ijms21176213. PMID: 32867370Free PMC Article
Cordeiro P, Hechtman P, Kaplan F
Genet Med 2000 Nov-Dec;2(6):319-27. doi: 10.1097/00125817-200011000-00003. PMID: 11339652
Sandhoff K, Christomanou H
Hum Genet 1979;50(2):107-43. doi: 10.1007/BF00390234. PMID: 116955

Diagnosis

Blondel A, Kraoua I, Marcelino C, Khrouf W, Schlemmer D, Ganne B, Caillaud C, Fernández-Eulate G, Turki IBY, Dauriat B, Bonnefont-Rousselot D, Nadjar Y, Lamari F
Mol Genet Metab 2023 Feb;138(2):106983. Epub 2022 Dec 26 doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2022.106983. PMID: 36709536
Sobek AK, Evers C, Dekomien G
Mol Cell Probes 2013 Feb;27(1):32-7. Epub 2012 Aug 27 doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2012.08.007. PMID: 23010210
Rucker JC, Shapiro BE, Han YH, Kumar AN, Garbutt S, Keller EL, Leigh RJ
Neurology 2004 Nov 23;63(10):1918-26. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000144275.76658.f4. PMID: 15557512
Sandhoff K, Christomanou H
Hum Genet 1979;50(2):107-43. doi: 10.1007/BF00390234. PMID: 116955
Niedermeyer E, Fineyre F, Riley T, Bird B
Clin Electroencephalogr 1979 Apr;10(2):75-95. doi: 10.1177/155005947901000206. PMID: 110503

Therapy

Leal AF, Benincore-Flórez E, Solano-Galarza D, Garzón Jaramillo RG, Echeverri-Peña OY, Suarez DA, Alméciga-Díaz CJ, Espejo-Mojica AJ
Int J Mol Sci 2020 Aug 27;21(17) doi: 10.3390/ijms21176213. PMID: 32867370Free PMC Article
Tsuji D, Higashine Y, Matsuoka K, Sakuraba H, Itoh K
Clin Chim Acta 2007 Mar;378(1-2):38-41. Epub 2006 Oct 24 doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2006.10.010. PMID: 17196574

Prognosis

Blondel A, Kraoua I, Marcelino C, Khrouf W, Schlemmer D, Ganne B, Caillaud C, Fernández-Eulate G, Turki IBY, Dauriat B, Bonnefont-Rousselot D, Nadjar Y, Lamari F
Mol Genet Metab 2023 Feb;138(2):106983. Epub 2022 Dec 26 doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2022.106983. PMID: 36709536
Maegawa GH, Stockley T, Tropak M, Banwell B, Blaser S, Kok F, Giugliani R, Mahuran D, Clarke JT
Pediatrics 2006 Nov;118(5):e1550-62. Epub 2006 Oct 2 doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-0588. PMID: 17015493Free PMC Article
Kolter T, Sandhoff K
J Inherit Metab Dis 1998 Aug;21(5):548-63. doi: 10.1023/a:1005419122018. PMID: 9728335
Goldman JE, Yamanaka T, Rapin I, Adachi M, Suzuki K, Suzuki K
Acta Neuropathol 1980;52(3):189-202. doi: 10.1007/BF00705807. PMID: 6255724
Purpura DP, Suzuki K
Brain Res 1976 Oct 29;116(1):1-21. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(76)90245-6. PMID: 824017

Clinical prediction guides

Deschenes NM, Cheng C, Ryckman AE, Quinville BM, Khanal P, Mitchell M, Chen Z, Sangrar W, Gray SJ, Walia JS
Int J Mol Sci 2023 May 24;24(11) doi: 10.3390/ijms24119217. PMID: 37298170Free PMC Article
Leal AF, Cifuentes J, Quezada V, Benincore-Flórez E, Cruz JC, Reyes LH, Espejo-Mojica AJ, Alméciga-Díaz CJ
Int J Mol Sci 2022 Sep 14;23(18) doi: 10.3390/ijms231810672. PMID: 36142595Free PMC Article
Sobek AK, Evers C, Dekomien G
Mol Cell Probes 2013 Feb;27(1):32-7. Epub 2012 Aug 27 doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2012.08.007. PMID: 23010210
Maegawa GH, Stockley T, Tropak M, Banwell B, Blaser S, Kok F, Giugliani R, Mahuran D, Clarke JT
Pediatrics 2006 Nov;118(5):e1550-62. Epub 2006 Oct 2 doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-0588. PMID: 17015493Free PMC Article
Sandhoff K, Christomanou H
Hum Genet 1979;50(2):107-43. doi: 10.1007/BF00390234. PMID: 116955

Supplemental Content

Recent activity

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

See more...