The synergistic effect of concussions and aging in women? Disparities and perspectives on moving forward

[...]to date, no female athlete has been diagnosed with CTE, and furthermore, no prospective in vivo or neuropathological studies have assessed the overall long-term effects of concussions in female athletes. [...]we cannot begin to assess whether women are at risk of developing CTE. Given the prevalence of concussion in female athletes, it would be expected that female athletes are just as susceptible to multiple or repetitive concussions as male athletes. [...]unless women possess a universal protective factor that decreases their risk of developing CTE, one can assume that female athletes are also at risk. Other studies postulate that progesterone is protective in TBI and it has been suggested as a potential treatment following TBI (67,68). [...]gonadal sex hormones are thought to play a role in the development of dementia, either through protection or enhanced risk (69,70). [...]there has been a strong push to have current and former athletes donate their brains for future research through the development of brain banks.