noun
a hereditary disorder of lipid metabolism occurring most frequently in individuals of Jewish descent in eastern Europe; accumulation of lipids in nervous tissue results in death in early childhood
• Syn: ↑Tay-Sachs, ↑Sachs disease, ↑infantile amaurotic idiocy
• Hypernyms: ↑lipidosis, ↑autosomal recessive disease, ↑autosomal recessive defect, ↑monogenic disorder, ↑monogenic disease
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\\¦tāˈsaks-\ noun also tay-sachsUsage: usually capitalized T&S
Etymology: after Waren Tay died 1927 English physician and Bernard P. Sachs died 1944 American neurologist
: a hereditary disorder of lipid metabolism that typically affects individuals of eastern European Jewish ancestry, that is marked by the accumulation of lipids especially in nervous tissue due to a deficiency of hexosaminidase, that is characterized by weakness, macrocephaly, red retinal spots, extremely acute hearing, retarded development, blindness, convulsions, paralysis, and death in early childhood, that that is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait
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/tay"saks"/, Pathol.
a rare fatal hereditary disease, occurring chiefly in infants and children, esp. of eastern European Jewish origin, characterized by a red spot on the retina, gradual blindness, and paralysis.
[1920-25; named after W. Tay (1843-1927), English physician, and B. Sachs (1858-1944), American neurologist]
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Tay-Sachs disease /tā-saksˈ di-zēzˈ/
noun
A congenital disorder, prevalent in Ashkenazi Jews, caused by a faulty gene, in which progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord causes mental retardation, blindness, paralysis and usu an early death in childhood (also called amaurotic familial idiocy)
ORIGIN: W Tay (1843–1927), British doctor and B Sachs (1858–1944), US neurologist
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Tay-Sachs disease «TAY SAKS»,
a fatal hereditary disease of children characterized by degeneration of the cells of the nervous system. It is caused by a defect in an enzyme and transmitted genetically as a result of two recessive alleles.
╂[< Warren Tay, 1843-1927, English ophthalmologist, and Bernard Sachs, 1858-1944, American neurologist]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.