23 “if in doubt, sit them out” 6. CONCUSSION RESEARCH PRIORITIES The issue of a potential link between concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) has caused significant concern in Australia and around the world23 . Despite claims by some researchers, there is a paucity of evidence supporting a causative link between these two conditions61 . Potential long-term health ramifications from sport-related concussion need to be an area of focal research attention61 . The design of research initiatives must be thoughtfully considered to ensure that any data arising from such research is meaningful and reliable. It is crucial to the welfare of Australian athletes that any potential long-term health implications associated with concussion are clearly identified and understood. Little is known about the biological mechanisms underlying the symptoms and signs of concussion62 . Improving the understanding of biological processes underlying concussion will increase the certainty with which doctors can advise athletes, parents and sporting bodies regarding prevention, management and safe return to sport. Improved understanding of concussion biology may also lead to the discovery of reliable biomarkers or imaging modalities to assist in indicating the presence or otherwise of concussion, and/or satisfactory recovery from concussion15 . A key part of any health initiative must be improving the knowledge and information transfer to those who are most affected by the condition29 . While most concussion position papers support the role of education, there is little good evidence which indicates what the current level of community knowledge is in relation to concussion32 . It is important that future research projects seek to quantify current community knowledge on concussion so that interventions which seek to educate athletes and other stakeholders can be assessed for their efficacy and validity. Evidence however suggests that children take longer than adults to recover from concussion19 . There is a need to better understand the variability in concussion recovery patterns between different sporting subpopulations. An improved understanding will enable prevention and management strategies to be based on the specific risk profile of particular sporting subgroups, including children. There have been great advances over the past decade in the clinical tools that are available for use in the diagnosis and management of concussion41 . It is true to say however that no single tool can diagnose concussion or indicate conclusively when it is safe for an athlete to return to sport. It is vital therefore that research continues to focus on improving clinical tools to enable accurate diagnosis of concussion and to inform appropriate return to sport.