First steps to study if low-energy neutron irradiation boosted by ${A}\beta$-selective neutron capture agents can be a performing AD treatment.

NECTAR (Neutron Capture Enhanced Treatment of neurotoxic Amyloid aggRegates) project aims to study the effectiveness of neutron capture reactions in the degradation of $\beta$-amyloid (${A}\beta$) protein aggregates involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of $\beta$-amyloid protein in the brain which compromises the nervous system. It is therefore necessary to search a performing AD treatment. NECTAR's idea is to study the effectiveness of neutron capture reactions on B-10 and Gd-157 in damaging protein aggregates. This is made possible thanks to the action of the charged secondaries produced, whose range matches well with the protein structures size, and the gamma, which cause a neuroinflammatory response of the glia cells promoting further clearance. The contribution will present the preliminary results achieved. In particular, the first $in vitro$ experiments carried out at the nuclear reactor of the University of Pavia and the first Monte Carlo simulations conducted at microdosimetric scale. In view of the NECTAR developments which concerns mouse irradiation treatment plans, the new mouse phantom will be presented.