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*Details of this episode where correct at the time of recording and may have change

Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today, we're thrilled to have the esteemed Dr. Nitin Sethi.

Dr. Sethi is a former boxing and UFC ringside neurologist and a board-certified neurologist specializing in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. Dr Sethi holds additional certifications from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in epilepsy and sleep medicine, as well as from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Association of Ringside Physicians as a Certified Ringside Physician. In addition to his numerous publications and his book, Neurologist at Ringside, Dr. Sethi has received several notable appointments and awards, including: The Certificate of Congressional Recognition "Heroes Humanity Award" from U.S. Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano, awarded on behalf of the World Boxing Council (WBC) for his service to communities in need. Recognition as a Leading Physician of the World and Top Neurologist in New York by The International Association of HealthCare Professionals in 2012. Appointment as Vice Chairman of the Sports Neurology Section of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) from 2022 to 2024. Serving as an Unaffiliated and Independent Neurotrauma Consultant for the NFL from 2013 to the present. Being a Ringside Panel Physician for the New York State Athletic Commission since 2012.

00:30 - About Dr Nitin Sethi

05:00 - What Is a Concussion?

07:05 - Pre and Post-Fight Assessments

12:45 – Role of Ringside Physician

16:40 – Mentality of the Sport

18:10 – Difficult in Subjectivity of Concussion and Sporting Culture

24:20 - How Too Change the Sporting Culture

29:00- UFC 244 Welterweight Main Card Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz and the Fallout

41:15 - Positives of Combat Sports

Book: Neurologist at Ringside – Amazon.com

Journal Articles

- To be or not to be ringside? Ethical issues pertaining to combat sports medicine: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913847.2022.2043129

- Neuroimaging in professional combat sports: consensus statement from the association of ringside physicians: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913847.2022.2083922

- Care of The Older Fighter: Position Statement of the Association of Ringside Physicians: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913847.2024.2344227

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Sam has spent over two decades in sports journalism and is widely recognised for his work in rugby and athlete welfare. He led what was, at the time, a groundbreaking media campaign on concussion in rugby, earning a nomination for the Cudlipp Prize in 2014. Among his many accolades—including nominations for Rugby Journalist of the Year and Investigative Reporter of the Year—Sam is also the author of the award-winning book Concussed: Sport's Uncomfortable Truth, which won the Pinsent Masons Sports Writing Award and was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

01:10 - How Was Concussed: Sport's Uncomfortable Truth Received

04:48 – Concussion Advocacy

11:15 – Ethical Codes: Example ‘Blood Gate’

15:30 – Strategies of Conveying a Clear Message

20:00 – Return to Learn and Life

22:20 – How the Public Receive the Message

25:30 – Litigation Against World Rugby

33:35 – Favorited Moments from Sport & Journalism

Twitter/x: @plantedSam

https://www.concussed.media

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Owen’s work focuses on the neuropsychological mechanisms underpinning sports-related traumatic brain injury. His research explores how concussion impacts functional behaviour, cognition, and broader mental health and well-being.

Prelude to a Crisis: A History of Sports-Related Concussion Research and the Influence of Neuropsychology, co-authored with Jamie Schultz.

01:15 - Sports History and Concussion

08:00 - Biocultural Perspective in Sports-Related Concussion.

13:25 - History and Emergence of Neuropsychology in Concussion

17:25 – The SLAM Model

21:30 – Divergence of Concussion and Time Points Pre/Pots Bennet Omalu

26:00 - What Has ‘Concussion Crisis’ History Taught Us

28:00 – Addressing Concussion as an Athlete and Researcher on Concussion

31:20 – How to Convey the Message Regarding Concussion

35:22 - Favourite Moment’s in Sport

39:45 - Where Can People Find You and Help Your Research

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Dr Grashow is a senior research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Director of Epidemiological Research Initiatives for the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University. Her work focuses on the long-term health effects of sport—particularly concussion and repetitive head impacts—in elite athletes.

01:50 – Pretext: What is Concussion and CTE

03:20 - Participation in Professional American-Style Football and Suicide Mortality: 1979–2019: Reasoning behind looking at this data

05:50 – Main Findings of The Study

10:50 –Stigma of Concussion and Mental Health Challenges

12:30 – Trends and Explanation Between Sports

17:00 – Caregiver Burden and Effect on Wife’s

21:00 – Frequent Concerns and Reports from Caregivers

25:00 – Advantages and Disadvantages of Studying Professional Athlete Population

28:00 – Assessing and Data Collection of Caregivers

33:30 –Testosterone Levels in Athletes

Episode 82: Perceived Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Suicidality in Former Professional Football Players (NFL) With Dr Rachel Grashow

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Henry Perenara played over 70 matches in the NRL at club level and also represented New Zealand internationally. Following his playing career, he transitioned into officiating, making his first-grade refereeing debut in 2011. He went on to officiate more than 200 matches, including international fixtures such as the Four Nations and the Rugby League World Cup.

01:10 - Henry Perenara Journey into Rugby League

05:10 – Hardest Part Transitioning Form a Player to Referee

11:00 – Man Management of Players and the Media

13:10 – What Was Expected of a Referee Regarding Player Welfare

16:10 – Difficulty of Making Split Second Decisions

20:00 – Transitioning from Two Referee’s to One in Covid-19

25:50 – Impact and Toll of Covid-19 Season

32:15 – Differences Between Refereeing Club vs World Cup

37:05 – How Does the Bunker Work

40:36 – Favourite Moments as a Player and Referee

42:45 – Henry’s Heart Condition and Where to Find Him

Henry Perenara

https://www.smartmove.com.au/our-team/henry-perenara/

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Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Chris Cannon.

Chris is the General Manager of M2MMA, a combat sports organisation using artificial intelligence to improve athlete wellbeing across physical, psychological, and financial domains. A key focus is reducing major risks in the sport—particularly weight cutting and concussion (mild traumatic brain injury), which is the focus of today’s discussion.

01:14 - Chris’s Journey into M2MMA

05:50 - What is M2MMA & How is AI involved?

08:52 – What Data is Being Collected?

13:40 – Protection of Data

14:50 – Athlete Perception’s to Data Collection

18:00 – Examples of Data Collection

20:40 – Understanding the Whole Issue

26:45 – Outside Perception on AI Tracking from Other Sports

30:45 – Chris’s Favourite Sporting Moment and Moving Forward in Sport

M2MMA:

Website: https://m2mma.com

IG: @m2mmaofficial and @cccannon10

Facebook: M2MMA Official

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Dr McManus is the Medical Director of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, overseeing world-class competitions including MotoGP, motocross, and superbike racing. He also leads the FIM International Medical Commission, driving global standards in medical care and rider safety.

With a background in sports and emergency medicine, Dr McManus is a key figure in advancing injury surveillance and concussion management in high-speed motorsport, helping shape best-practice care for elite riders worldwide.

01:30 - Journey into Medicine and Motorsport’s

04:00 - What is FIM?

07:10 – History of Concussion Guidelines in Motorsports

10:55 - What is a concussion and Significance?

16:30 – Acceptance of Concussion Policies Amongst Athlete's

18:40 – Publishing and Implementation of Concussion Guidelines

26:00 – When to Respect Autonomy and When to in Force Protocol

33:45 – Removal from the Track for An Assessment

39:40 – General Things We Should Know About Motorsports and Concussion

FIM: https://www.fim-moto.com/en/

Guidelines https://www.fim-moto.com/en/news/news-detail/article/fim-launches-motorcycle-sport-specific-concussion-assessment-and-management-guidelines

Professor Jon Patricios – Concussion in Sports Group: Episode 65

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Tom had an outstanding junior career, winning state championships for Western Australia and multiple league best and fairest awards. He was drafted to St Kilda in 2010, spending three seasons at the club and playing with Sandringham in the VFL.

He later returned to WA, becoming a key player for Claremont over eight seasons in the WAFL.

Off the field, Tom completed a law degree and now works as a Special Counsel at Pragma Lawyers in Perth.

01:30 - Journey into Sports and Experiences of the AFL Draft

04:50 – Process Once Drafted

06:30 – Experience of Being In ‘AFL System’ and First Game

08:12 – Comparison of AFL to State Level

10:28 – Head Injury Assessment and Experiences

12:50 – Confounding Factors of Playing Through Injuries

14:40 – Attitude Now Towards Concussion Now

15:55 – Changes in Playing Style

17:47 – Perception Changed on Concussion?

19:50 - Favourite Memories of Career

21:50 – Transition from AFL to Everyday Life

23:00 – Where to Find Tom

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