What type of people does tay-sachs disease affect?

Tay-sachs disease primarily affects individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, although it can occur in other ethnic groups as well. Ashkenazi Jews are people of Central and Eastern European Jewish heritage. The disease is caused by a genetic mutation that is more common in this specific population.

Tay-sachs disease is an autosomal recessive disorder, which means that both copies of the gene responsible for producing the essential enzyme (hexosaminidase A) must be mutated in order for the disease to develop. If an individual carries only one copy of the mutated gene, they are considered a carrier and do not typically show symptoms of the disease. However, they can still pass the mutated gene on to their children.

When both parents are carriers of the Tay-sachs disease gene, there is a 25% chance with each pregnancy that their child will inherit two copies of the mutated gene and develop the disease. This risk applies regardless of the ethnicity or background of the parents.