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Dr Hardwicke is a Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Sport at Nottingham Trent University and a leading UK voice on brain injury in sport. A former competitive cyclist who suffered a brain injury himself, he now works with colleagues on how to better care for former athletes living with neurodegeneration and their families. Through his research and his writing for the British Journal of Sports Medicine and The Conversation, he challenges sport to focus on preventing brain injuries rather than only managing them after they happen.

01:30 – Journey into Concussion and Sociology Research

09:30 - What is a Concussion in Sociology Research

13:00 - “Knowledge Doesn't Equal Safety" Paradox

20:00 - brain injury in women’s sport and misconceptions

30:08 - Suspected CTE and Families Research

46:15 – Children and Brain Injury

54:53 - Where to Find Dr Jack Hardwicke

Dr Jack Hardwickie

https://www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/science-technology/jack-hardwicke

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=riOu_9AAAAAJ&hl=en

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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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

Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop weekly

Social media:

Twitter: @first concussion

Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast

Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion

Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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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