NPTX1 and Alzheimer disease: Impaired proteasomal activity is known to markedly alter expression of genes having an important role in aging and neurodegeneration (Ding et al., 2004), for example increasing neuronal pentraxin 1 which is mediating brain inflammation in aging and AD (McGeer, 2001) as well as inducing neuronal apoptosis (DeGregorio‐Rocasolano et al., 2001).