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The widely reported results of a JAMA-published study on the brains of 152 former contact sports athletes under 30 years old are interesting and provocative. But the findings actually tell two stories:  specifically one regarding the risks to brain health and developing CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) when playing contact sports at the high school through college level, and more generally the increased presence and risk of mental health disorders (such as suicide) in teens and younger adults. 

Dr. Ken Podell, a Houston Methodist neuropsychologist and director of the Houston Methodist Concussion Center, focuses on brain health, especially among teens and younger adults. Some of the questions he can address: How safe is it for your teen to play contact sports?  What are the pros and cons of organized contact sports for them? What is the real risk of your child developing CTE?  Dr. Podell can also address the mental health crisis that is plaquing our teens, with insight on detecting mental health problems, talking about them with your children, and ways to prevent and/or treat mental health issues.