Scientists have several rival theories on the causes of fibromyalgia, a disorder that causes body-wide chronic pain and fatigue. One leading theory holds that conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia by interfering with "stage 4," or "deep sleep." This theory is concerned with the function of neuropeptide substance P, which is released in the spinal cord in response to pain and causes nerve endings around the initiating nerves to also become more sensitive to pain. Normally, this mechanism is "reset" during deep sleep. If pain becomes body-wide, however, and the mechanism can not be reset, this process may run out of control.

The theory above on the cause of fibromyalgia rests on which of the following assumptions?

a. The body has a limited amount of control over neuropeptide substance P.
b. Fibromyalgia is a completely preventable disorder, if only other conditions are recognized and treated before it can develop.
c. Deep sleep is necessary to the healthy functioning of the nervous system.
d. The functions of neuropeptides released by the spinal cord must be better understood before a cure for fibromyalgia can be found.
e. Because the causes of fibromyalgia are linked to depression, the disorder should be treated by mental health professionals.

Fibromyalgia (F) is caused when depression, anxiety, serotonin deficiency interfers with 'deep sleep'.

Nueropeptide substabce P is released in response to pain making the nerves more sensitive to pain. (process)

The above process is reset during 'deep sleep'.....meaning the pain subsides or is gone during 'deep sleep' and hence no P is released and thus no fybromylagia is caused.

'deep sleep' is related to Fybro.... and 'deep sleep' also plays some role when depression, anxiety, serotonin deficiency intefers with it.....depression, anxiety, serotonin deficiency (nervous system).

Hence the assumption that 'deep sleep' is necessary to the healthy functioning of the nervous system.

A is irrelevant.

C = it is. in deep sleep this will get reset...

It is not the premise. It is not the conclusion. conclusion is that the "mechanism" related to substance P is not getting reset (resulting in sensitivity to pain / body-wide chronic pain).

Assumption deals with WHY the process is not resetting. Because the body is not getting deep sleep, the mechanism is not getting reset.

Premises + Assumption (lack of sleep) = Conclusion (no resetting hence, sensitivity to pain)

Since the assumption is lack of deep sleep. it is taken a step forward and says - deep sleep imp for nervous system (though I agree that the assumption is stretched a bit).

I used POE, and was only left with C, and then it made sense.
_________________

All things are possible to those who believe.

Assumption was never that this can be cured (really stretching it too far). Assumption is more related to the phenomenon that is described in the statement.
_________________

All things are possible to those who believe.

No this question is correctly worded. And the real argument is between A and C.

Negating A gives 2 things - Body has infinite control or body has zero control. So which one do you take? Clearly body does not have infinite control or else it would have stopped the release irrespective of deep sleep.

C is clearer and we can arrive at it by elimination ... it doesn't jump out.

Thank you.

We can get an appropriate assumption by negation. Let's check it by the formula of "cause and effect" and an assumption must be connected to both of them and hence, render their necessary condition. Here has to follow:

According to the second premise depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can be causes of fibromyalgia which turns to be an effect. Moreover, in the last premise there is written that "If pain becomes body-wide, however, and the mechanism can not be reset, this process may run out of control". It means that when pain becomes body-wide, the release of the substance P runs out of control which denotes that the body is not able to exert a full control over release of neuropeptide substance in the case of fibromialgya.

Now we will negate the choice "a" and in the result it looks so --> "the body has an unlimited control over neuropeptide substance P". Herewith we have eliminated the main point of the theory, namely "If pain becomes body-wide, however, and the mechanism can not be reset, this process may run out of control".

Thus, the choice "a" is an appropriate assumptiom because by negating it we rebut not only the connection between cause and effect, but also completely destroy what holds true according to the theory given in the text.


b. Fibromyalgia is a completely preventable disorder, if only other conditions are recognized and treated before it can develop.
Even if to negate this assumption, the connection between the effect (fibromialgia) and the causes (depression, anxiety, drug use, serotonin deficiency) will not be effected. We can reveal that this assumption asserts "only other conditions" which can mean some conditions but not all

By negation of the assumptions in c, d, e we are still unable to destroy the main points of the theory. Check yourself! It follows that the theory is not conditioned upon them.

c. Deep sleep is necessary to the healthy functioning of the nervous system.
d. The functions of neuropeptides released by the spinal cord must be better understood before a cure for fibromyalgia can be found.
e. Because the causes of fibromyalgia are linked to depression, the disorder should be treated by mental health professionals.

i dont think C is an assumption. use negation technique and check for yourselves
_________________

What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

C seems way too general to be an assumption.

Not the best written question -- in my humble opinion.

C - boz that is close to the arugment