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Being plugged into an iPod is a hallmark of adolescence, but a new study suggests that teens who spend too much time listening to music may be at higher risk of depression. The study, led by Brian, an assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, found that teens who reported listening to music more often were at higher risk of having major depressive disorder ， compared with teens who listened to music less frequently. And they had an 80 percent higher risk of depression, the study found. The study didnt measure total listening times, but based on previous data, the study authors estimated that teens in the highest-use group were likely listening to music for at least four or five hours a day. At this point, it is not clear whether depressed people begin to listen to more music to escape, or whether listening to large amounts of music can lead to depression, or both, said Brian in a statement. By contrast, researchers found that reading books had the opposite association: with increase in time spent reading, teens risk of depression dropped 50 percent. For the study, the researchers surveyed 106 participants aged seven to 17 for two months; 46 participants had been previously diagnosed with depression. Of all the media reported, only music showed significant associations with increased depression risk, after researchers controlled for factors like age, sex and ethnicity. But that doesnt necessarily mean that music causes depression - for some depressed teens, music may even help. | 
