Since 1950, global average life expectancy has been steadily increasing at a rate of more than 3 years per decade (with the exception of the 1990s), with accompanying growth in age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and stroke. The limited capacity of self-repair of the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) and the general lack of preventive and restorative treatments for these conditions lead to progressive debilitation and eventually death. Not only does this result in a diminished quality of life for patients (and their families) but also impacts society by placing tremendous demands on social welfare and health systems. How to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages,” one of the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, is thus a challenge to be tackled by the next generation of researchers, clinicians, and policy makers
