Chronic oxidative damage together with genome repair deficiency in the neurons is a double whammy for neurodegeneration: Is damage response signaling a potential therapeutic target?

•Persistent genome damage is linked to accelerated ageing and age-associated neurodegeneration.•Inherited DNA repair defect is uniquely manifested in neurodegenerative phenotype.•DNA repair capacity is compromised in most sporadic neurodegenerative conditions.•Varied etiological factors contribute to genome damage and their repair defect.•Imbalance in genome damage and repair may be the common basis for diverse diseases involving neurodegeneration.