What if everything you thought you knew about concussion was wrong?
Presented by Momentous and hosted by Selene Yeager, "Brain Storm" is a podcast series that follows seven-time world champion adventure athlete Rebecca Rusch after a violent bike wreck leaves her with a "mild" concussion that turns her world upside down in May 2022.
Rebecca takes us through her journey to heal her brain and fully return to her demanding, athletic life, a goal that still eludes her almost three years after the crash. You'll also hear interviews with leading experts on the science, understanding, and treatment of concussions and persistent post-concussive symptoms.
Nearly 30 percent of adults report having a concussion in their lifetime. Almost half of them report long-term symptoms. Yet quality, informed care is still hard to come by, with millions following outdated, potentially harmful advice and spending weeks, months, or even years searching the web in hopes of one day feeling like themselves again.
This series is for those people, and for anyone with a brain.
BRAIN STORM PODCAST
Listen here!
FREE CONCUSSION RESOURCE EBOOK
In the making of this podcast, we've amassed a large quantity of resources and information that we'd love to share with you. Sign up below to receive email updates from us, and we'll send you a free ebook!
RESOURCES
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Love Your Brain (free resources, training, education, community and support for people affected by brain injury)
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Rev6 (exercises and movement program to support fascia and the nervous system
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Rebecca's recommended meditation apps
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Built to Move by Kelly and Juliet Starrett (simple ways to get moving and feel better; 10 tests + 10 physical practices = 10 ways to make your body work better)
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Breath by James Nestor (breathing exercises, the science behind them, and practical usage)
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Oura Ring for personal health tracking
Episode 1 Links
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Rest and exercise early after sport-related concussion: a systematic review and meta-analysis (British journal of sports medicine, 2023)
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The effects of rest on concussion symptom resolution and recovery time: a meta-analytic review and subgroup analysis of 4329 patients (The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023)
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Podcast: The Autonomic Nervous System & How Exercise is Medicine for Concussion Patients
Episode 2 Links
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Momentous's "Understanding the Research Around Supplemental and TBI Symptom Mitigation"
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Acute thalamic connectivity precedes chronic post-concussive symptoms in mild traumatic brain injury (Brain, 2023)
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Active approach with “relative rest” after 24-48 hours: Benefits of strict rest after acute concussion: a randomized controlled trial (Pediatrics, 2015)
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Non-avoidant approach day to day:
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Behavioral regulation/lifestyle factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Precision Vestibular Rehabilitation in Adolescents following Concussion: Preliminary Findings (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2021)
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Aerobic and dynamic exercise progression
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Exercise is Medicine for Concussion (Current Sports Medicine Reports, 2018)
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The Dynamic Exertion Test for Sport-Related Concussion: A Comparison of Athletes at Return-to-Play and Healthy Controls (International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2022)
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Episode 3 Links
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Psilocybin desynchronizes the human brain (Nature, 2024)
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MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial (Nature Medicine, 2023)
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Psychedelic and nutraceutical interventions as therapeutic strategies for military-related mild traumatic brain injuries (Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 2023)
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F.D.A. Declines to Approve MDMA Therapy, Seeking More Study (New York Times, 2024)
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This Is Literally Your Brain on Drugs (New York Times, 2024)
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What Does Good Psychedelic Therapy Look Like? (New York Times, 2023)
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How psilocybin, the psychedelic in mushrooms, may rewire the brain to ease depression, anxiety and more (CNN, 2023)
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UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics psychedelic research and resources
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Free havening and tapping videos from Kate Truitt
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The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time by Alex Korb
Episode 4 Links
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Momentous's "Understanding the Research Around Supplemental and TBI Symptom Mitigation"
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"Heads Up" for Creatine Supplementation and its Potential Applications for Brain Health and Function (Sports Medicine, 2023)
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Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Brain Functions: A Systematic Review (Cureus, 2022)
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Vitamin D in Synaptic Plasticity, Cognitive Function, and Neuropsychiatric Illness (Trends in Neurosciences, 2019)