Life expectancy just topped 77 Years in the US.  This should be no surprise.  For over 150 years life expectancy has continued to rise at the steady pace of an additional 3 months per year.

Living physically longer does not mean living in better mental health.  Mental health expectancy is the number of years that an individual can successfully perform mental functions, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships, and the ability to cope with adversity. 

Five of the ten leading causes of disability worldwide (major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, alcohol use and obsessive compulsive disorders) are mental problems. They are as relevant in developing countries as they are in rich ones, and all predictions are that there will be a dramatic increase in mental problems in the coming years.  Developing tools to help solve these problems will be a major focus of neurotechnology.