La Trobe University associate professor Alan Pearce has spoken out following last week's groundbreaking findings that two former NRL players developed CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

Pearce, who is research manager of the newly-established Victorian branch of the Australian Sports Brain Bank, told Australian Community Media CTE could only be diagnosed after autopsy.

Symptoms of CTE can include memory loss and personality changes.

"We really can't rely on a net of two (cases) to dictate what might be happening more widely," he said.

"We really need to understand this from a wider perspective rather than just thinking of it as an elite sport issue."

Pearce said the recent CTE findings were "hugely" significant given they were a first relating to Australian sport.

"This clearly shows that it doesn't matter what sport it is, where in the world it is or what level you play at, getting repeated knocks to the head without being medically seen to or checked-up periodically - just to make sure everything is okay - could contribute to CTE or other diseases," he said.

Pearce's calls for public assistance come on the back of news that Ballarat football great Alan "Dizzy" Lynch will donate his brain upon death to help specialists better understand the impacts of concussion.

Pearce said sportspeople wishing to pledge their brain could do so by visiting brainbank.org.au