Neurodegeneration decribes the progressive injury and death of neurons without a known cause. Neurodegenerative diseases include but are not limited to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s Disease. Aging is the most important risk factor for common neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Aging in the brain has been associated with increased inflammation, oxidative damage, and injury to mitochondrial DNA. These processes are also directly related to the brain structures most affected by neurodegenerative processes. Although neurodegenerative diseases have many differences, they all share common mechanisms of pathophysiology that conspire to kill neurons: inflammation, oxidative damage and mitochondrial DNA damage. These similarities offer hope for therapeutic advances that target these mechanisms and can delay the onset and reduce the incidence of these diseases.