Female athlete triad: elucidation of pathophysiology and search for biomarkers

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23282
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Shimizu Yukie 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 特任助教 (60880474)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 脳MRI / スポーツ / 女性医学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we've been trying to assess very small area of the hypothalamus-pituitary gland system, which makes it challenging to define the boundery of the area and evaluate its size and propertyies. Therefore, we first needed to arrange the appropriate MRI parameters on healthy controles. We could finally establish the right condition for our study.
At the end of the last year, two female athlete patients and eight healthy female athletes were included and we obtained their data of brain MRI, bone density, body composition, blood test including hormones and bone metabolism makers, and nutrition.

Free Research Field

放射線医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳視床下部-下垂体系は小さな領域であり、以前は画像による評価が難しかったが、近年のMRI装置や撮像技術の進歩により画質の改善が可能となった。また、脳の容積といった形態的評価に加え、血流や代謝といた機能的な評価を行い、利用可能なエネルギー不足のバイオマーカー探索を勧めている。これまでも、女性アスリート障害症例の診療において骨密度・体組成・血液データ・栄養状態の評価という多角的な評価が行われてきたが、新たに脳MRIによる評価を加えることで、将来的に女性アスリート障害の病態解明ひいては女性アスリートの健康促進につながることが期待される。