Former AFLW player Heather Anderson has become the first professional female athlete in the world to be diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

CTE is a condition caused by brain injuries like concussion, and can only be diagnosed postmortem.

While there is a growing body of research on how the condition impacts men, less is known about how it impacts women. This is despite the fact that research shows women may be more susceptible to concussions in the first place.

Listen to Former footy players suing the AFL over concussion injuries.