Title: First Case of Female Athlete Linked to Dementia and Brain Trauma Confirmed by Scientists
Scientists at the Australian Sports Brain Bank have made a groundbreaking discovery by reporting the world’s first diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a female athlete. The diagnosis was made on the brain of Heather Anderson, a 28-year-old AFLW athlete who passed away last November. Anderson’s family donated her brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank in the hopes of shedding light on the cause of her death.
The findings, co-authored by Professor Alan Pearce and the Australian Sports Brain Bank, raise concerns about the impact of a lifetime of contact sports on brain health. The diagnosis comes at a crucial time, as Australia’s Senate inquiry is working on a report regarding concussions and repeated head trauma in contact sports, which is due to be released in August.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a devastating form of dementia that causes a decline in brain functioning and increases the risk of mental illness. It is commonly associated with athletes participating in contact sports such as football, boxing, and martial arts. Unfortunately, CTE can only be diagnosed post-mortem, making it an incurable condition.
Recent studies have found that repetitive brain trauma over time, even seemingly mild head knocks or whiplash, is the strongest predictor for an athlete developing CTE. Athletes who have long careers in contact sports, especially those who start at a young age, are at a particularly high risk.
Heather Anderson’s journey in the sporting world began when she started playing rugby league at just five years old before transitioning to Australian rules football in her early teens. She played representative football in the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory before being drafted into the inaugural season of the AFLW in 2017. Anderson had a successful season with the Adelaide Crows, winning a premiership but also sustaining a career-ending shoulder injury.
She then returned to her role as a medic with the Australian Army, which is also a physically demanding career that carries a heightened risk of brain injury. Anderson’s family decided to donate her brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank in order to investigate whether her exposure to repetitive head trauma contributed to her death.
Concussion researcher Anne McKee previously predicted that it was only a matter of time before CTE would be found in the brain of a female athlete. The Australian Sports Brain Bank team believes that Anderson’s case is a significant one that can provide valuable insights into the impact of contact sports on women. With nearly one million women and girls participating in contact sports in Australia in 2022, the risk of repetitive brain trauma among women is increasing.
Emerging evidence suggests that women may be at a higher risk of mild traumatic brain injuries (concussion) and may experience more severe symptoms. Factors such as differences in brain microstructure, hormonal influences, coaching regimes, player experience, and injury management may contribute to this increased risk. However, more research is needed to understand how brain injuries specifically affect women in the sporting world.
The diagnosis of CTE in a female athlete highlights the urgency for greater representation of women in brain injury studies. Efforts to reduce concussions in women’s sports should focus on addressing resource inequalities and providing access to quality training, coaching support, and research. It is crucial that researchers, policymakers, and sports governance bodies prioritize women’s brain health and allocate the necessary attention and resources to understand and address concussion and brain diseases among women athletes.
In conclusion, the first diagnosis of CTE in a female athlete serves as a wake-up call to the significant impact of repetitive brain trauma on women’s sporting health. This milestone finding should encourage further research, proper resource allocation, and support for women in contact sports. As participation in women’s sports continues to grow, ensuring the well-being of women athletes and the future of women’s sports depends on addressing the unique challenges they face in terms of brain health.
