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Combat sports make brain injury impossible to ignore, but the most dangerous part might be what happens after everyone goes home. We’re joined by Jordan J. Adams, founder and CEO of United Fight Alliance and an Emmy Award-winning combat sports commentator, to talk about concussions, post-concussion syndrome and the real gaps he still sees in concussion protocols across athletics.

We dig into the difference between “knowing” head trauma is serious and actually acting fast with coordinated care. Jordan shares what he has witnessed behind the scenes with athletic commissions, how referees have improved some in-fight checks and why follow-up care often collapses into guesswork. We also talk about the heartbreaking long arc of repeated hits, including short-term memory issues, working memory problems and speech changes that can show up years later.

Jordan opens up about his own concussion history from a motorcycle crash, a severe shallow-pool diving accident and military artillery exposure, plus the added pressure of a family Alzheimer’s history. From there, we get into hopeful science and practical habits: neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, strength training and BDNF, and Jordan’s top “needle movers” like transcranial photobiomodulation, intermittent fasting, cold plunges and methylene blue, along with why tracking tiny functional changes matters. Subscribe, share this with someone navigating concussion recovery and leave a review, then tell us what topic you want us to tackle next?

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Concussion Breakthrough: Discover the Missing Pieces of Concussion Recovery is now available on Amazon!

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Website: lifeafterimpact.com

Medical disclaimer: this video or podcast is for general informational purposes only, and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and materials included is at the user's own risk. The content of this video or podcast is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice diagnosis or treatment. Consumers of this information should seek the advice of a medical professional for any and all health related issues.

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For decades, patients with persistent post-concussion symptoms have been told that their imaging is normal, their brain has healed, and there is nothing more that can be done. But what if we've been asking the wrong questions?

In this episode of Life After Impact, Dr. Ayla Wolf sits down with functional neurologist Dr. Matt Antonucci to discuss his groundbreaking new paper published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, introducing the Network Entrapment by Reflex Dysfunction (NERD) Model. Together, they explore a new framework for understanding why concussion symptoms can persist long after the initial injury has healed.

Dr. Antonucci explains how the brain functions as an interconnected network rather than a collection of isolated structures, and how disrupted sensory processing, maladaptive feedback loops, and altered neuroplasticity can cause symptoms to spiral over time. The conversation dives into predictive processing, cerebellar function, autonomic regulation, postural instability, chronic headaches, neck pain, light sensitivity, dysautonomia, and why many patients feel trapped in patterns that conventional medicine struggles to explain.

Topics discussed include:

• The difference between structural neurology and functional neurology
• Why normal MRI and CT scans don't mean the brain is functioning normally
• The NERD model and persistent post-concussion syndrome
• How the brain becomes trapped in maladaptive feedback loops
• Predictive processing and the role of the cerebellum
• Why symptoms often worsen under cognitive, physical, or sensory load
• Neuroplasticity: when adaptation helps and when it hurts
• Dysautonomia, POTS, headaches, neck pain, and sensory sensitivity
• The importance of identifying the true source of dysfunction
• How this model may apply beyond concussion to conditions such as ADHD, autism, migraine, and chronic neurological disorders

Whether you're a patient struggling to understand persistent symptoms or a clinician seeking a deeper framework for neurological rehabilitation, this episode offers a fascinating look into what may become one of the most influential models in functional neurology.

If you’re a patient feeling stuck, or a clinician looking for a clearer concussion recovery model, this is a practical, hopeful listen. Subscribe, share with someone navigating post-concussion symptoms, and leave a review. What “load” situation reliably sets off your symptoms?

The NERD model: reflex circuit dysfunction as a systems-level driver of persistent post-concussion symptoms - Read the paper!

Dr. Antonucci's Website

Save $30 on Brain Ritual - A daily brain energy-support drink like none other. https://www.brainritual.com/AYLA94359

Concussion Breakthrough: Discover the Missing Pieces of Concussion Recovery is now available on Amazon!

Follow us on YouTube & Instagram @lifeafterimpact

Website: lifeafterimpact.com

Medical disclaimer: this video or podcast is for general informational purposes only, and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and materials included is at the user's own risk. The content of this video or podcast is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice diagnosis or treatment. Consumers of this information should seek the advice of a medical professional for any and all health related issues.

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What if healing isn’t just physical?

In this deeply thought-provoking episode, Dr. Ayla Wolf sits down with somatic practitioner and Inner Space Technique regression therapist Bre Hibbs to explore the fascinating relationship between trauma, the nervous system, body memory, and healing beyond the physical body.

Together, they discuss the idea that our bodies may store not only physical trauma, but also emotional experiences, subconscious conditioning, stress patterns, and even energetic imprints that continue influencing our health, behavior, pain, and recovery long after an event has passed.

The conversation explores:

• How trauma can become “stored” in the body
• The connection between chronic pain and emotional stress
• Somatic awareness and nervous system regulation
• Dissociation and feeling disconnected from the body
• Why some people remain “stuck” despite trying many therapies
• The role of subconscious conditioning in health and behavior
• Meditation, energy awareness, and subtle body practices
• How slowing down and reconnecting with the body may support healing

Bre also shares insights from her work in somatic healing, meditation-based regression therapy, and yoga, including practical ways people can begin developing a deeper awareness of their own body and nervous system.

This episode offers a compassionate and expansive perspective on healing—one that bridges neuroscience, somatics, consciousness, and the wisdom of the body.

If you’re navigating post-concussion syndrome, chronic symptoms, or trauma stored in the body, listen through and see what lands. Subscribe for more concussion recovery conversations, share this with someone who feels stuck, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Prana Maya Resort Wellness Retreats

Breyn Hibbs: LinkedIn - updates to workshops and courses

Save $30 on Brain Ritual - A daily brain energy-support drink like none other. https://www.brainritual.com/AYLA94359

Concussion Breakthrough: Discover the Missing Pieces of Concussion Recovery is now available on Amazon!

Follow us on YouTube & Instagram @lifeafterimpact

Website: lifeafterimpact.com

Medical disclaimer: this video or podcast is for general informational purposes only, and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and materials included is at the user's own risk. The content of this video or podcast is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice diagnosis or treatment. Consumers of this information should seek the advice of a medical professional for any and all health related issues.