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Professor Stern is a Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Anatomy & Neurobiology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. As co-founder of the BU CTE Center and former Director of Clinical Research, he has spent nearly two decades pioneering ways to detect and diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) during life, while uncovering the long-term neurological impact of repetitive head trauma in former athletes. His ground-breaking work includes major projects such as the landmark DETECT and DIAGNOSE CTE studies, the Head Impact & Trauma Surveillance Study, and numerous investigations into biomarkers and diagnostic criteria for concussion and CTE. With more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, key advisory roles with the NFLPA and NCAA, and recognition such as the 2025 Leon Thal Prize for Research Excellence, Professor Stern is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts shaping modern concussion and CTE science.

06:50 - Dr Robert Stern’s Journey into Neurology, Neurodegenerative Disease and Repetitive Head Impacts

13:00 - What Does Boston University CTE Do?

15:55 – Repetitive Head Impacts

20:45 – Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

24:35 – Dementia

28:25 – Neurological Disease’s and Clinical Testing In vivo

32:24 – Biomarkers, Diagnosis Dementia and Growth in the Field

40:00 – Nocebo Effect and Understanding/ Misunderstanding of What is Known

45:35 - Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome and Diagnostic Criteria

01:02:00 – Summary of Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome

01:07:00 – How to Help and Support Dr Stern’s Work

Professor Robert Stern:

https://www.bu.edu/cte/

https://www.bu.edu/cte/profile/robert-stern/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=42mlewcAAAAJ&hl=en

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Dr Daneshvar is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, Chair of physical medicine and Rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation, and Co-Director of Sports Concussion at Mass General Brigham, whilst also a long-time collaborator with the Boston University CTE Centre. Lastly, Dr Daneshvar earned the National Neurotrauma Society's 2024 Rising Star Award, whilst publishing more than 100 papers and being cited over 18,000 times by his academic peers. One of those articles is “Prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy at death in National Football League players: retrospective population-based cohort study, 2008-21” The topic of today’s conversation.

01:15 - Journey into Neurosciences and Brain Injury

02:50 – What is and Difference Between Concussion and CTE

05:16 - “Prevalence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy at Death in National Football League Players: Retrospective Population-Based Cohort Study, 2008-21” What are the major findings? How was it conducted…. Etc

09:10 – Extrapolation of CTE in Populations & Correlation Against Death Certificates

12:13 – Stage’s of CTE

15:10 - Accelerometer Data as a Predictor of CTE vs Career Length

18:10 - Significant Challenges in Conducting Studies Around CTE

23:10 – Risk Reduction

27:40 - How Can we Help Support Dr Daneshvar Research

Dr Daniel Daneshvar

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YF2omqkAAAAJ&hl=en

Prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy at death in National Football League players: retrospective population-based cohort study, 2008-21 : https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100418

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Dr Buckland is Head of the Department of Neuropathology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. He founded and directs the Australian Sports Brain Bank, established in 2018, which has since become a leading centre for research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). He is also a co-founder of Brainstorm, a brain cancer research initiative at RPA, and leads research across gliomas, neurodegenerative diseases and molecular neuropathology.

01:17 – Dr Buckland’s Journey Neuropathology and What is Neuropathology

04:25 - Concussion, repetitive head impact

07:50 – What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

10:20 – How is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Diagnosed

13:00 – Separating Different Types of Neurodegenerative Disease

16:54 – Does Response Relationship

19:00 -Brain Donation and Difficulties in Approaching Donations

23:00 – Brainstorm and Cancer

Google Schoolar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=A4mEg3QAAAAJ&hl=en

Australian Sports Brain Bank: https://brainbank.org.au

BrainStorm: https://brainbenefit.org/causes/brainstorm-at-rpa/

Twitter: @first concussion

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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Dr. Wolf is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and the founder of Healing Response Acupuncture & Functional Neurology in Stillwater, Minnesota. With more than 20 years of clinical experience, she specialises in neurological acupuncture, post-concussion syndrome, and traumatic brain injury recovery. Her approach combines functional neurology and applied clinical neuroscience, supported by post-doctoral training at the Carrick Institute, where she serves as an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine.

Dr. Wolf has also worked as a team acupuncturist for UFC and Legacy fighters at Fortis MMA in Dallas. She is the host of Life After Impact: The Concussion Recovery Podcast and the author of The Art of Concussion Recovery and The Concussion Breakthrough: Discover the Missing Pieces to Recovery.

01:40 - Journey from Acupuncture to Concussion Care

08:50 – Concussion, What It Means in and Functional Assessments in Dr Wolf’s Clinic

16:30 – Where it Fits in Concussion

23:00 – Clinical Approach on Female Population

29:20 – Acupuncture Needles Gauge Explained

31:15 – Dr Wolf’s Books

40:30 - Life After Impact: The Concussion Recovery Podcast

48:00 – Where to Find Dr Wolf

Dr Ayla Wolf

https://lifeafterimpact.com/podcast

https://acupunctureneurology.com/about

IG: @lifeafterimpact

FB: https://www.facebook.com/amy.ayla.wolf/

Twitter: @first concussion

Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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Paul captained the Socceroos throughout the 1990s, earning 84 caps and playing 345 National Soccer League games for clubs including Croydon, Green Gully, Brunswick and South Melbourne. He led Australia from 1990 to 1996, including at the Olympics and through two World Cup qualifying campaigns, and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

More recently, Paul has bravely spoken publicly about his diagnosis of probable CTE, linked to repeated head impacts throughout his career, using his experience to advocate for better brain health protections in football.

01:40 - Paul's Journey into football

04:05 - Football at Barnsley

06:00 – How Paul and Val Met

08:30 – Diagnosis of Probable CTE

11:30 – Process of Diagnosis

19:40 – Perspective of a Diagnosis and Day to Day life

24:30 – Impact on Work

27:20 – Paul’s Epilepsy

30:30 – Advocacy, Training with Probable CTE

39:25 – Pauls Favourite Footballing Moments

43:00 – Old National Soccer League/ NLS Day’s

44:50 – Val’s Favourite Moments

47:07 – Find Paul/ Support

49:10 – Dad Joke’s

• Paul Wade Life Skills: www.paulwade.com.au
• Epilepsy Action Australia / Paul Wade: www.epilepsy.org.au
• Dr Rowena Mobbs: www.rowena.mobbs.com.au
• ConneCTErs Australia: www.connecters.org.au

Twitter: @first concussion

Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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Dr Channon is a Principal Lecturer in Physical Education and Sport Studies at the University of Brighton, UK. His work covers sociology of sport, in particular martial arts and combat sports, examining topics such as gender and sexuality in participation, the role of martial arts in physical education curricula and media portrayals of professional fighters. Dr Channon has authored over 43 publications serves as an editor for the journal of Martial Arts Studies and Special Advisory Board Member, International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth Development.

01:25 - Journey into Sociology, and Martial Arts

06:10 – What is Edgework/ Consent

12:00 – Fighting and Violence Paradox

25:10 - Protecting fighters in unregulated combat sports

36:54 – Mixed Fighting/ Sparing

46:10 - Sexualisation of the fighter's body

51:00 – Where to Find Dr Alex Channon and Support His Work

Dr Alex Channon

https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=wVLoke8AAAAJ&citation_for_view=wVLoke8AAAAJ:e5wmG9Sq2KIC

Additional Resources for further viewing and context

Lecture 1 – violence/consent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdhWnqo3naQ (starts around 12 mins),

Lecture 2 – risk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddx9VYR0sEo,

Lecture 3 – gender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWnymS6_gEQ.

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Dr. Arena is a neurosurgeon at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in the intersection of clinical neurosurgery, neurotrauma, and neurodegenerative disease. He has authored more than 54 publications in these fields.

Before medicine, he was an accomplished football player at Johns Hopkins University, where he played linebacker in every game of his college career, helped lead the Blue Jays to a 28–6 record, and served as team captain in 2013. Academically, he maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA as a neuroscience major and was named the 2013 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete and Capital One Academic All-America Player of the Year for Division III football.

02:20 - Journey from football into medicine, neurosurgery.

05:10 - What is CTE and TES/ Probable CTE

14:48 - Lead author on “Performance of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome criteria in identifying individuals with chronic traumatic encephalopathy”

23:40 – Where to Research Wise

27:23 – Nocebo Effect

31:00 – Where too Find Assistant Professor John Arena

Assistant Professor John Arena:

- Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rBLzm34AAAAJ&hl=en

- Performance of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome criteria in identifying individuals with chronic traumatic encephalopathy: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04392-9

Twitter: @first concussion

Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com