Most mental health disorders and cases of drug abuse tend to diminish

Question

Most mental health disorders and cases of drug abuse tend to diminish a person’s ability to recognize other people’s feelings. A recent study in Norway suggests, however, that these effects can be bolstered by a nasal spray puff of the brain hormone oxytocin, which is known to increasefeelings of calm and social bonding. Although oxytocin is already prescribed for certain disorders that affect social function, such as autism, these treatments are often tried in isolated cases, leaving the overall effects of the drug without evaluation.

The Norwegian experiment focused on 40 students, each of whom was given either a control dose of salt water or the drug oxytocin. After the nasal dose, the students were shown faces of happy, angry, or neutral expressions, some of which were subtler than others. The researchers found that after a nasal spray dose of oxytocin, the students’ awareness of the expressions was intensified. Further, the experiment showed that the oxytocin had the greatest effect on those who were least able to evaluate emotions properly when given the control. Although the results of this study seem promising, Leknes, the lead scientist in the investigation, cautions that the hormone would not be a “cure-all” for mental illness or drug addiction. Rather, he suggests, the hormone might help some individuals better interpret the social cues from the world around them.    1 
 1. The author of the passage would most likely agree with which of the following statements about the brain hormone oxytocin?

(A) Its overall effects require further evaluation.
(B) In the future, it will be used to cure mental illness and drug addiction.
(C) It is not useful for people who are already able to interpret social cues.
(D) Its effects on the brain are unknown.
(E) It is more effective when dosed via nasal spray than orally.

2  
 2. The passage lends the most support to which of the following conclusions about the nasal spray study of oxytocin?

(A) The results of the study are inconclusive because a sample set of 40 students is not substantial.
(B) The nasal spray of oxytocin increased feelings of calm and social bonding for the students.
(C) Many students were unable to recognize the expressions shown to them when given only the control dose of salt water.
(D) The students who might need oxytocin most are the ones who appear most responsive to the hormone.
(E) The subtler the expression, the more difficult it was for the students to identify.

3  
 3. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage regarding the Norwegian study on oxytocin?

(A) The study showed that oxytocin made students more able to distinguish faces from one another.
(B) Leknes was the lead scientist in the investigation.
(C) A control dose of salt water was used to gauge normal student ability to recognize facial expressions.
(D) Students who participated in the study were shown happy, angry, or neutral expressions.
(E) Oxytocin had the greatest effect on students who were least able to evaluate emotions properly when given the control dose.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

1. The author of the passage would most likely agree with which of the following statements about the brain hormone oxytocin?

The first paragraph of the passage states that oxytocin treatments are often tried in isolated cases and the overall effects are without evaluation. The passage then describes a small study that seems promising, but makes no definitive claims. Therefore, it is likely that the author would agree that the effects of oxytocin require further evaluation, supporting  choice (A) .

Answer  choice (B)  is incorrect as the passage states the opposite, namely that oxytocin is not a  “cure-all.”  Although the author focuses on the effects of oxytocin for those who are not able to interpret social cues, answer  choice (C)  is incorrect as the author does not state that the drug would not be useful for those who can already do so.

The author specifically addresses  choice (D)  in the passage, stating that the hormone oxytocin increases feelings of calm and social bonding.

Finally, answer  choice (E)  is incorrect, as the author never addresses oxytocin as an oral treatment. 
 
  Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

2. The passage lends the most support to which of the following conclusions about the nasal spray study of oxytocin?

The second paragraph states that  “the experiment showed that the oxytocin had the greatest affect on those who were least able to evaluate emotions properly when given the control.”  Thus, it can be inferred that those with the least ability to naturally infer emotions, in other words, the ones who might need it most, reaped the greatest benefits of the hormone. This matches  choice (D) . Additionally,  (A)  is incorrect as the passage does not discuss inconclusiveness based on sample size.

Choice (B)  is incorrect as it incorrectly pairs the known effects of the hormone in the brain with the results of the student study.

Choice (C)  is incorrect as the passage does not address the ability of the students to recognize expressions, just the relative change between the controlled salt water dose and the oxytocin.

Finally,  choice (E)  is incorrect for a similar reason: the passage does not state that the subtler the expression the more difficult it was for students to identify, just that some expressions that were used were subtler than others. 
 
  Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

3. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage regarding the Norwegian study on oxytocin?

The experiment was related to students’ ability to recognize emotions from facial expressions, not their ability to tell faces apart. Therefore,  (A)  is the correct answer.

Choice (B)  is mentioned in the first sentence of the last paragraph of the passage.

Choice (C)  is addressed throughout the second paragraph, first when it is stated that  “a control dose of salt water”  was given, and then when awareness after exposure to oxytocin is compared to awareness after the controlled salt water dose.

Choice (D)  is explicitly stated in the second sentence of the second paragraph.

Finally,  choice (E)  is explicitly addressed in the last sentence of the second paragraph. 
 
  Answer: A

Most mental health disorders and cases of drug abuse tend to diminish

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