Lower level of chaperone protein present in Alzheimer's brains, research indicates

People with Alzheimer's disease have lower levels of a key protein in the brains, researchers have found.

A paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry reported that levels of ubiquilin-1, a 'chaperone' protein - are substantially lower in brains with Alzheimer's disease.

The job of 'chaperone' proteins is to ensure their client proteins do not form wrongly during the folding process.

Ubiquilin-1 usually binds the amyloid precursor protein (APP), which is directly linked to the neurodegenerative disease.

"Ubiquilin-1 prevents the APP molecule from falling into a conformation it's not supposed to be in," said associate professor at the University of Texas Darren Boehning.

"This fits with a theme we're seeing across the neurodegenerative disorders and the disorders of aging - the idea that many of these disorders are associated with decreased quality control by chaperones," he continued.

This follows news that moderate consumption of alcohol could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to research published in journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.

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