Reducing the serotonin deficit caused by a breakdown in the passage of

Question

Reducing the serotonin deficit caused by a breakdown in the passage of serotonin molecules from the presynaptic cell to receptors on the postsynaptic cell has been identified as a successful treatment for clinical depression for many individuals. A new series of drugs, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, prevent the presynaptic cell from re-uptaking serotonin, thereby allowing normal amounts of serotonin to reach the receptors on the postsynaptic cell.

Slowing down the process of serotonin reduction can treat depression. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors slows down the process and helps treat depression.

Which of the following can be correctly inferred from the above statements?

If too much serotonin is released to the receptors, a person will feel extremely euphoric.
>No relation between serotonin and being euphoric is mentioned. We just don't know this info from the passage.

Taking a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor is currently the only successful treatment for clinical depression.
>This is one of the successful treatments. Not the ONLY treatment.

Individuals who have normal levels of serotonin uptake do not run the risk of suffering from depression.
>Serotonin is curative, not preventive.

By not taking a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, individuals with depression run the risk of depleting their serotonin levels.
>Well well well!!! Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor is just one way to help regulate the serotonin deficit, it is not the ONLY inhibitor with such functionality.

Taking Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors reduces the incidence of depression in some people.
>For sure. Some people(safe word). Inhibitors-Curative. Proven good to treat depression.

Any suggestions on how to approach such questions. I was not able to make much out of this, so just made a informed guess (chose E :-D

) and moved on.

) and moved on.

crick20002002 · Answer

I also picked E.

Since it is an inference question, the stated inference must be true without the need of an assumption. Looking at the choices, choices B and C look exaggerated, A looks out of scope as it talks about Euphoria. D talks about the scenario when Inhibitors are not taken.

So you are left with E. It is a mild statement (usage of word some) and hence correct choice.

Crick

fluke · Answer

gautammalik · Answer

Wow wow wow!!! Such a time consuming one. It took me 2 mins to understand why depression is caused and how the new drug treats depression.

Let's do this inference question by POE - 
(A) It is not mentioned in argument. Out of scope.
(B) There may other treatments available. Incorrect.
(C) Close one, but a bit extreme.
(D) Same as (C), a bit extreme.
(E) Not-extreme and yes, few people will be relieved on depression.

(E) wins.

Nevernevergiveup · Answer

Reducing the serotonin deficit caused by a breakdown in the passage of serotonin molecules from the presynaptic cell to receptors on the postsynaptic cell has been identified as a successful treatment for clinical depression for many individuals. A new series of drugs, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, prevent the presynaptic cell from re-uptaking serotonin, thereby allowing normal amounts of serotonin to reach the receptors on the postsynaptic cell.

Which of the following can be correctly inferred from the above statements?

A. If too much serotonin is released to the receptors, a person will feel extremely euphoric...... to much serotonin case is completely out of scope.

B. Taking a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor is currently the only successful treatment for clinical depression..............  only  plays the spoilsport here making this an extreme case.

C. Individuals who have normal levels of serotonin uptake do not run the risk of suffering from depression............ we have an argument regarding treatment for depressed people through serotonin and their normal level case is completely out of scope.

I got stuck between D and E, and selected D as I got entrapped in clever wordplay between deficit and depletion of serotonin levels .

D. By not taking a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, individuals with depression run the risk of depleting their serotonin levels.
 This is incorrect for above reason.

E. Taking Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors reduces the incidence of depression in some people.
  even though taking inhibitors reduces depression sounds a bit too strong, we have to see the word some which makes the whole sentence come in the scope of the argument.

mvictor · Answer

I got to C, and this is how I reached to the answer choice

reducing S -> successful treatment for clinical depression in many individuals.
new drug -> SSRI -> prevent from reaching again high levels of S.
thus, SSRI -> allows the "normal" amount of S to reach the receptors.

A. we do not have any information about being euphoric. out.
B. THE ONLY - way too extreme. the argument says that it has been identified as a treatment. not that it is the only treatment.
C. reducing S is a way to treat. but it might be the case that some people with depression do not have high level of S.
D. is too extreme.
E. reduces in some people. written in the same language as the argument...

E for me.

manhasnoname · Answer

SSRI is for treating depression. Option (E) talks about the incidence of depression. How can (E) be inferred? What is it that I'm missing here?

sayantanc2k · Answer

Here "incidence of depression" is used in the sense "bout of depression". Successful treatment does not necessarily imply complete elimination of the problem - reducing bouts of depression can also be considered successful treatment - improvement in condition implies some level of success in treatment.

manhasnoname · Answer

Once someone is depressed, SSRI will help as mentioned in the question stem.

"treatment", "improvement", "reducing" and even "complete elimination", all these are germane only after "incidence" of depression. (E) is talking about incidence, way before treating it or successfully treating it.

Quite unusually, on this one, it is very hard to buy your reasoning  sayantanc2k .

sayantanc2k · Answer

Please refer to my first sentence in the post: Here "incidence of depression" is used in the sense "bout of depression". In my opinion, the author of this question has used the phrase "incidence of depression" in the sense "bout of depression"(after the treatment), and not in the sense any "any occurrence of depression" (even before treatment) as you indicated. If the meaning you mentioned is what the author of the question meant, then, in my opinion, there is no way option E could be the answer.

If you could elaborate how the meaning you mentioned fits in the argument, then it would be more effective to discuss further.

If you could elaborate how the meaning you mentioned fits in the argument, then it would be more effective to discuss further.

manhasnoname · Answer

I did not intend to convey that (E) is the correct answer based on my reasoning. My concern is that (E) cannot be the answer. (E) doesn't fit in the argument.

How is one supposed to infer authors intention that "incidence" is used in the sense "bout"?

sayantanc2k · Answer

One Person may have multiple bouts or episodes of depression. The author considers each of such bout or episode one incidence. I do not see any problem with such interpretation. Taking SSRI reduces the number of bouts/ episodes (i.e., incidences) is a correct inference.

What I understand is that you are suggesting that the number of incidences refer to the number of people who get depression, i.e. even if one person gets depression repeatedly, his case would be considered one single incidence of depression. I am not sure whether this interpretation (in medical terms) is correct, but in context of this particular question, this is not the intended meaning of the author.

Nightmare007 · Answer

Only E is logical, Though i was perplexed by those complex terminology. I went through POE.
Other options are either definite or Extreme. 
Only E shows a probable chance.
Hence, I opted E. 
:D .

spetznaz · Answer

+1 for option E. The vocabulary is tricky but the inference is best mentioned in option E.

mallya12 · Answer

Why option C is wrong? I was confused with E because in argument its mentioned that the treatment was successful for many people. But in E is it some people. 
Please clarify my doubt

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Let's address C first.

There are at least two reasons why (C) is wrong.

One is that a person who has normal uptake could become a person who has abnormal uptake. So, if abnormal uptake of serotonin is somehow a factor contributing to a person's experiencing depression, then a person who has normal uptake today could tomorrow have abnormal uptake and become a depressed person.

The second is that the passage says that the treatment described has been effective for "many people." It does not say that the treatment is effective for all people. So, the passage does not indicate that regulating uptake of serotonin makes all depressed people not depressed. Therefore, the passage clearly does not indicate that all people whose serotonin uptake is normal will not become depressed. Rather, what the passage says leaves open the possibility that people can be depressed regardless of serotonin levels.

Regarding (E), correctly answering critical reasoning questions is not a word matching game. It's a logic game, and, logically, "many people" is "some people." So, (E) fits what the passage says.

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

Reducing the serotonin deficit caused by a breakdown in the passage of

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Reducing the serotonin deficit caused by a breakdown in the passage of

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards