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Child Depression & TV
Children who watch television late at night could be “more likely to develop depression”, The Daily Telegraph has claimed. The research behind this report has been covered by several other newspapers, which say that streetlights could also be responsible.

This research housed mice for several weeks in a room that was lit 24 hours a day, testing measures thought to indicate depression and distress. These mice showed more depressive symptoms than similar mice exposed to a normal cycle of light and dark. The researchers believe that the findings could apply to humans, as they used the same methods that pharmaceutical companies do in preliminary testing of anti-depressive and anti-anxiety medication.

This was animal research, so applying its findings to humans should be treated with caution due to the numerous major differences between species. Furthermore, the extreme lighting regime tested on mice does not mirror real life in humans.

This study did not test the effects of streetlights or television on human mood, so any conclusions about their effects should be considered as speculation.

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