Leading Sports Medicine Clinical Research

Dr. Mortazavi has been part of three different academic institutions where he has part taken in academics and research in the field of sports medicine, Traumatic Brain Injury, and exercise medicine.  He continues to have strong research collaborations with all his former institutions and is an investigator in multiple ongoing research studies. His areas of interest include concussion research, injury prevention, exercise medicine, and cardiac screening in athletes.

Leslie‘s areas of interest include concussion care, musculoskeletal injury prevention and treatment, and health issues affecting female athletes.

PPCS reference evidence based SPARCC (2020 update)

Recent Research & Papers We Reference

Active Rehab for PCS by University at Buffalo, SUNY

Concussion Guidelines for Teachers by CDC

Concussion in Sport by 5th International Conference on Concussion in Sport

Concussion in Sport by 4th International Conference on Concussion in Sport

Early Active Rehab for Concussion by Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, SUNY at Buffalo

Headsmart Understanding Concussions Guide by South Shore Hospital

Pediatric Concussion: What You Need To Know by CDC

Rest and Return to Activity After Sport-Related Concussion by A.T. Still University

Returning to School after TBI for School Professionals by CDC

SCAT5 Sports Assessment Tool by BMJ

School Accommodations after Concussion from the Journal of Athletic Training

Sideline Emergencies by R. Warne Fitch, MD et al.

Sport-Related Concussion in Children and Adolescents by Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness

Current Research

SPARCC Research Presented at the 2022 AMSSM Meeting

Hector Preciado BS, Sarah Lawson BS, Eva Ramirez BS, Alejandro Dali Quinones BS, Saikaashyap Sarva BS, Amanda Smith BS, Abirami Saravanan, Milin Patel, Arvind Balaji MD,  Mo Mortazavi MD. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Diffuse Tensor Imaging (DTI) Findings in Patients with Persistent Post Concussive Syndrome (PPCS)

Hector Preciado MD, Delaney Harris, Sarah Lawson BS, Arvind Balaji MD, Leslie Streeter DNP, Leila Samsam DNP, Mo Mortazavi MD. Exercise Intolerance in Patients with Long COVID Neurological Sequelae: Retrospective Cohort Study

Delaney Harris, Hector Preciado BS, Saikaashyap Sarva BS, Sarah Lawson BS, Arvind Balaji MD, Brett Dusenberry MD, Leslie Streeter DNP, Leila Samsam DNP, Mo Mortazavi MD. Covid-19 Vaccination in Patients with Persistent Post Concussive Symptoms (PPCS)

Sarah Lawson MA, Hector Preciado BS, Arvind Balaji MD, Delaney Harris, Leslie Streeter DNP, Leila Samsam DNP, Mo Mortazavi MD. Identifying Abnormal Visual Ocular Motor Screen (VOMS) and Visual Markers in Patients Suffering from Long Covid Neurological Sequelae

Sarah Lawson MA, Brett Dusenberry MD, Leslie Streeter DNP, Arvind Balaji MD, Jon Minor MD, James Dill MD, Cindy Ong MD, Jaden Bailey PAC, Mo Mortazavi MD. Cochlear Dysfunction in Patients with Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms (PPCS): an Under-Recognized Concussion Profile.

Sarah Lawson MA, David Oakley PhD, Francesca Arese Lucini PhD, Leslie Streeter DNP, Chiaki Ishioka, Basil Ike DO, Prem Kumar Thirnagari, Tyler Marx, Brett Dusenberry MD, Mo Mortazavi MD. Unique Neurophysiological Changes in Patients with Mild TBI with Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms: Frontal Alpha Shifts

SPARCC Research Presented at the 2021 AMSSM Virtual Meeting

Mo Mortazavi MD, Tyler Marx BS ,Taylor Konstad BS, Monica Pita ATC,  Luke Maes, Kyle Johnson Joseph Demirjian BS, Hunter Korbin, Jaden Bailey PA-C, Leslie Streeter DNP, Jon Minor MD, Brett Dusenberry MD, Arvind Balaji MD, James Dill MD, Hector Rieiro PhD. Subclinical Vestibular Deficits Illustrated In Patients With Exercise Intolerance After mTBI Using Force Plate Protocols. AMSSM Podium Original Research presentation, 2021. 

Katelyn Paulsen, MD, Kyle Johnson, BS, Taylor Konstad, BS, Tyler Marx, BS, Jaden Bailey PA, Monica Pita ATC, Arvind Balaji MD, Brett Dusenberry MD, Leslie Streeter DNP, Jon Minor MD, Hector Rieiro PhD, Mo Mortazavi, MD. Late Exercise Tolerance Testing Using Dynamic High Intensity Interval Multidirectional (HIIT-MD) Movement Protocol. AMSSM Podium Original Research presentation, 2021. 

Mo Mortazavi MD, Prem T., Monica Pita ATC, Kaash, Hector Rieiro PhD. Microsaccadic Fixational Eye Movements as an Oculomotor Marker for Concussion.

Mo Mortazavi, MD01 Taylor Konstad, BS 02 Luke Maes03 Joseph Demirjian, BS03 Kyle Johnson,03 Katelyn Paulsen, BFA04 Hunter Korbin03 Tyler Marx, BS03 Monica Pita, ATC01. Etiologies of Exercise Intolerance in Post Concussive Patients Using an Exertional Testing Protocol

Basil Ike DO, Landon Watts BS, Dave Oakley PhD, Monica Pita ATC, Mo Mortazavi MD. P300 Evoked Response Potentials Patterns in Different Complex Concussion Phenotypes.

Joseph Demirjian1, 2, Jon Minor MD2, Arvind Balaji MD2, James Dill MD2, Leslie Streeter DNP2 , Monica Pita ATC2, Mo Mortazavi MD2. Trigger Point Injections in Cervicogenic Persistent Post Concussive Symptoms. 

SPARCC Research Presented at the 2020 AMSSM Annual Meeting

Harris Ahmed, BS MPH; Nancy Phu BS, Jon Minor MD; Basil Ike BS, Kyle Johnson, Jared Kleiner BS, David Tramatulo BS, Leslie Streeter DNP, Mo Mortazavi MD. Findings And Clinical Utility Of Brain MRI In Patients With Persistent Post Concussive Symptoms. AMSSM Podium Original Research presentation, 2020

Mo Mortazavi MD, Ryan ‘Pete’ Manely DHSc, Prem Kumar Thirunagari, David Tramutolo BS, Nasser Kouchecki, Harris Ahmed MPH, Tanya Polec OD, Jon Minor MD, Hector Rieiro PhD.  Microsaccadic Fixational Eye Movements as an Oculomotor Marker for Concussion.  AMSSM Podium Original Research presentation, 2020

David Tramutolo BS, Harris Ahmed BS, MPH, Jon Minor MD, Rhett Bushman BS, Nasser Koucheki BS, Prem Kumar Thirunagari BS, Nancy Phu BS, Basil Ike BS, Leslie Streeter DNP, Hector Rieiro PhD, Mo Mortazavi MD. Subtype Classification In Patients With Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms. AMSSM original research abstract, 2020

David Tramutolo BS, Harris Ahmed BS, MPH, Jon Minor MD, Rhett Bushman BS, Nasser Koucheki BS, Prem Kumar Thirunagari BS, Nancy Phu BS, Basil Ike BS, Leslie Streeter DNP, Hector Rieiro PhD, Mo Mortazavi MD. Not All Complex Concussions Are Created Equal: Staging Of Complex Cases With Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms (PPCS) – A New Paradigm.  AMSSM original research abstract, 2020

Alexis Richards¹, Harris Ahmed, MPH², Nancy Phu², Mohammed Mortazavi, MD. A Cheerleader with more than a Compression Fracture. Northern Arizona University¹, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine², SPARCC – Sports Medicine, Active Rehabilitation and Concussion Care^3. AMSSM Original Case Report, 2020

Basil Ike BS¹; Harris Ahmed MPH¹; Alexis Richards BS²; Nancy Phu BS¹; Libby Frino BS³; Erin Peterson BS³; Mo Mortazavi, MD^.  Can Altitude Affect My Vision? AMSSM Original Case Report, 2020

Mayes MS-IV, Harris Ahmed BS MPH , Briana Hernandez BS, Mo Mortazavi MD.  Cognitive and Physical Deficits Secondary to High G-Force Centrifuge Training Caleb AMSSM Original Case Report, 2020

SPARCC Research Presented at the 2019 AMSSM Annual Meeting

 

Read abstracts from the 2019 AMSSM Annual Meeting

Harris Ahmed MPH¹, Morgan Long¹, Samuel Richardson¹, Mohammed Mortazavi MD. Ophthalmic Pathology in a 16 year old Hispanic Male Concussion Patient (Oral Presentation).

Tyler Marx², Mohammed Mortazavi MD, Jon Minor MD, Hirsch Handmaker MD³. Near Point of Convergence as a Clinical Predictor for Exercise Tolerance (Poster Presentation).

Julia Howard MHS⁴, Nitin Prabhakar MD⁵, Dan Hekmatian², Jon Minor MD, Mohammed Mortazavi MD. Near Point Convergence and King Devick Test: Predictors of Prolonged Concussive Syndrome? (Poster Presentation)

Katelyn Paulsen², Mohammed Mortazavi MD, Hirsch Handmaker MD³. Near Point Convergence Predicting Return to Learn (Poster Presentation).

Manpreet Sahnan BS², Nitin Prabhakar MD⁵, Jon Minor MD, Mohammed Mortazavi MD. The Relationship Between Academic and Exercise Tolerance in Pediatric Concussion Cases (Poster Presentation).

Affiliations
1. Medical Student at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University
2. Clinical and Research Intern at SPARCC
3. CACTIS Foundation
4. Clinical Researcher at SPARCC and Medical Student at Midwestern University of Arizona
5. Clinical Researcher at SPARCC and Resident at THMEP

SPARCC Research Presented at 2022 PRISM

Monica Pita ATC, Luke Maes, Andrew Ortiz BS, Mo Mortazavi MD. CONCUSSION SUBTYPING IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH PERSISTENT POST CONCUSSIVE SYMPTOMS USING A NEW CONCUSSION CLINICAL PROFILE SCREEN TOOL (CP SCREEN)

Prem Kumar Thirunagari BS, Saikaashyap Sarva BS, Hector Rieiro PhD, Tanya Polec OD, Matthew Bell DO, Monica Pita ATC, Luke Maes, Delaney Harris, Leslie Streeter DNP, Jon Minor MD, Mo Mortazavi MD. CONCUSSION PROFILE SCREEN OCULAR SUBTYPE SCORE AND OBJECTIVE FINDINGS OF OCULOMOTOR DYSFUNCTION IN PEDIATRIC CONCUSSION PATIENTS

Saikaashyap Sarva BS, Prem Kumar Thirunagari BS, Hector Rieiro PhD, Matthew Bell DO, Leslie Streeter DNP, Jon Minor MD, Arvind Balaji MD, Mo Mortazavi MD. SACCADIC LATENCY MEASURES ON OCULOMOTOR TRACKING AND KING DEVICK TESTING PERFORMANCE MEASURES IN PEDIATRIC CONCUSSION PATIENTS

SPARCC Research Presented at 2020 PRISM

Marshall Spiegel JD01, Jon Minor MD03, Nancy Phu BS02, Jared Kliner BS04, Prem Kumar Thirunagari BS04, David Tramutolo DO01, Tyler Marx BS03, Leslie Streeter DNP03, Mo Mortazavi MD03 Self-Reported Severity of Mood Symptoms in Pediatric Patients With Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms (PPCS)

Katelyn Paulsen, BFA; Kyle Johnson, BS; Tyler Marx, BS; Jon Minor, MD; Leslie Streeter, DNP; Monica Pita, ATC; Gaige Braden, ATC; Libby Frino, BS;  Erin Peterson, BS; Hirsch Handmaker, MD; Mo Mortazavi, MD THE UTILITY OF A MULTIDIRECTIONAL SUBMAXIMAL EXERTIONAL STEP AS PART OF AN EXERTIONAL REHABILITATION PROTOCOL AFTER CONCUSSION

Prem Kumar Thirunagari BS, Nancy Phu BS, David Tramultolo DO, Hector Riero PhD, Tanya Polec OD, Tyler Marx BS, Leslie Street DNP, John Minor MD, Mo Mortazavi MD. Identifying Trends in Microsaccade Rate on Oculomotor Tracker in Early Vs. Late Stage Pediatric Cases with Persistent-Post Concussive Symptoms (PPCS)

Mo Mortazavi MD, David Oakley PhD, Jon Minor MD, Prem Kumar Thirunagari, Nassar Koucheki, Nitin Prabjaker MD Functional  Neurocognitive Deficits and Cortical Evoked Potentials in Pediatric Patients with Prolonged Post Concussive Symptoms.

Katelyn Paulsen BFA¹, Mo Mortazavi MD², Tyler Marx BS¹, Dan Hekmatian BS¹, Jon Minor MD², Hector Riero PhD³, Leslie Streeter DNP², Hirsch Handmaker MD⁴ NEAR POINT CONVERGENECE PREDICTING STUDENTS’ RETURN TO LEARNING. PRISM original research abstract, 2019.

SPARCC Research Presented at 2019 PRISM

Emily Bateman BS^1,2, Leslie Streeter DNP², Jon Minor MD², Hirsch Handmaker MD³, Mo Mortazavi MD² INCIDENCE AND PATTERNS OF MENSTRUAL IRREGULARITIES IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AFTER CONCUSSION. PRISM original research abstract, 2019. Abstract

SPARCC Research Presented at the 2021 AAN Virtual Sports Concussion Conference

SPARCC to Present at the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association Conference September 19th-22nd in Scottsdale Arizona.

Read abstracts from the 2019 NORA Conference

Katelyn Paulsen, BFA⁰¹; Mo Mortazavi, MD⁰²; Daniel Hekmatian, BS⁰¹; Hector Rierio, PhD⁰³; Hirsch Handmaker, MD⁰⁴ Near Point Convergence as a Clinical Predictor of Cognitive Tolerance after a Concussion Injury

Tyler Marx BS^1,2, ²Mo Mortazavi MD, ^1,2Daniel Hekmatian BS, ²Jon Minor MD, ³Hirsch Handmaker MD Near Point Convergence as a Clinical Predictor for Exercise Tolerance and Progression Through the 5 Step Active Rehab Protocol

Nasser Koucheki, Prem Thirunagari, Hector Rieiro Ph.D, Tyler Marx, Jon Minor M.D., Tanya Polec O.D., Mo Mortazavi M.D. Microsaccades- The relationship with vestibular dysfunction and prolonged symptoms after concussion

SPARCC Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Concussion Center in conjunction with the University of Arizona

Mortazavi, Oleskey, et al. Active Rehabilitation Protocol in Treatment of Adolescents with Post Concussive Syndrome, a Clinical Trial.

Mowrey, Mortazavi, etal.  Neuropsychiatric Assessment of Adolescents with Post-Concussion Syndrome Before and After the Implementation of a Novel Active Rehabilitation Protocol.

Research in the Community

Smith, Mortazavi, et al. Functional movement screens, gait patterns, and NM control in those recovering from Post Concussive Syndrome

Oakley, Mortazavi, Minor, et al. Quantitation and Qualitative Electroencephalograms (QEEG) testing and the Detection of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mortazavi, Minor, et al. Exercise tolerance correlation with cognitive tolerance and return to learn stage

Minor, Mortazavi, et al. Correlation of exercise tolerance and vestibular ocular motor symptoms

Mortazavi, Minor, et al. Heart Rate Variability trends and Concussion symptom scores during recovery

Polec, Minor, Mortazavi, et al. Evaluation of an eye tracking protocol testing for oculomotor deficits seen after concussion and post concussion syndrome.

Mortazavi, Minor, et al. Pupillary contraction volumes, speeds, and symmetry in concussed patients

Minor, Mortazavi, et al. Correlation of King Devick and Near Point Convergence with Neurocognitive Impact testing processing speed and reaction time scores in concussed patients

Mortazavi, Smith et al. Functional rehab role in those with Post Concussive Syndrome

Mortazavi, Miller et al. The role of goal oriented concussion action plan in the setting of Post Concussive Syndrome

Klien, Mortazavi, et al. Early VOM and exertional intervention in acute concussion

Mortazavi, et al.  Dysautonomia and exercises intolerance in Post Concussive Syndrome

Academic Memberships where SPARCC continues to engage in Research, Academics, and Medical Education

American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM)

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

American Medical Society (AMA)

Pima County Medical Society (PCMS)

Arizona Academy of Pediatrics (AzAAP)

Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona (BIAAZ)

Past Research

University of Denver Colorado/Children’s Hospital Colorado

Mortazavi. Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Athletes. Advances in Pediatrics. December 2012. Volume 60.

Mortazavi, Provance et al. The Prevalence and Patterns of Athlete’s Heart in Adolescent Athletes: a Review of ECG’s . 11/2011 (abstract accepted CJSM, AMSSM Podium presentation)

Mortazavi, Provance et al. Evaluating the accuracy of ECG screening in young athletes by primary care providers. (Study in progress) 

Mortazavi, Provance et al. Cost effectiveness of ECG Screening Program in High School Athletes. (Study in Progress)

Hoang, Mortazavi. Overuse Injuries in Young Athletes. Advances in Pediatrics. December 2011. Volume 60.

Hoang, Mortazavi. General Radiology Imaging and Laboratory Testing- What to Order and When. Pediatric Sports Medicine-Essentials for Office Evaluation. April 2012.

University of California, Davis

Mortazavi, Styne, et al. Competitive Sport Participation and Treatment Outcomes in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. (currently submitted for publication) 

Mortazavi, Cassaza, et al. Single Leg training and Injury Prevention in Football Players. (data currently in analysis)