Neuropeptide substance P is released in the spinal cord in response to

Question

Neuropeptide substance P 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 stages of deep sleep. If, however, the mechanism cannot be reset, this process may run out of control and cause fibromyalgia, a disorder characterized by body-wide chronic pain and fatigue. Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use, and serotonin deficiency can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep.

The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

(A) The simplest way to treat fibromyalgia is to control the release of neuropeptide substance P.

(B) The release of neuropeptide substance P cannot be reset if a patient suffers from a condition that interferes with stages of "deep" sleep.

(C) Patients who do not suffer from conditions that can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep will not develop fibromyalgia.

(D) Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia.

(E) Drug users who experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue most likely suffer from fibromyalgia.

GMATNinja · Accepted Answer

Normally, I like to start analyzing a passage by identifying the conclusion. In this case, we are asked to select the best conclusion, so let's make sure we are clear on the given information:

Neuropeptide substance P (NSP), as described in the first sentence, "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." 
 This mechanism is  normally  reset during stages of deep sleep. Notice that the passage does not say that the mechanism is  always  reset during stages of deep sleep or that this is the  only  way to reset the mechanism. 
 If "the mechanism cannot be reset, this process  may  run out of control and cause fibromyalgia." - Notice the word "may"; the passage does not say that "if the mechanism cannot be reset, the process will  definitely  run out of control and cause fibromyalgia." 
 "Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use, and serotonin deficiency can interfere with stages of 'deep' sleep." - Those conditions  might  interfere with deep sleep, and deep sleep, as we know, normally resets the NSP mechanism. This implies that those conditions  might  interfere with the resetting of the NSP mechanism, which could in turn lead to fibromyalgia. However, we are not told whether those conditions will  always  have those effects.

These statements best support which of the following conclusions?

We have no idea if controlling the release of NSP is simple or if there are other, simpler ways to treat fibromyalgia. Eliminate choice (A).

As stated above, the NSP mechanism is  normally  reset during deep sleep. However, it is possible that there are other ways to reset the NSP mechanism, even in the absence of deep sleep. Thus, choice (B) cannot be properly inferred and can be eliminated.

A lack of deep sleep  can  cause fibromyalgia, but we aren't told whether there are other ways of developing fibromyalgia. Thus, choice (C) should be eliminated.

This statement says that the conditions CAN aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia. It does not say that the conditions will DEFINITELY aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia. Those conditions  might  interfere with deep sleep, and this, in turn, might prevent the NSP process from being reset. As stated in the passage, if "the mechanism cannot be reset, this process  may  run out of control and cause fibromyalgia." Statement D is consistent with the information in the passage, so let's hang on to it.

Those drug users might experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue for a variety of other reasons besides having fibromyalgia. Thus, choice (E) cannot be properly inferred and should be eliminated.

(D) is the best choice.

broall · Answer

1. P is released in response to pain
2. (1) is reset during deep sleep
3. If (1) cannot be reset, P may run out of control and cause fibromyalgia
4. Some conditions can interfere deep sleep
 
(A) The simplest way to treat fibromyalgia is to control the release of neuropeptide substance P.
 The statements make no comparison between some ways to treat fibromyalgia, so "the simplest way to treat fibromyalgia" is incorrect. Also, P running out of control is just a possible cause to fibromyalgia. The statements have no information indicated that controlling the release of P is a way to treat fibromyalgia.

(B) The release of neuropeptide substance P cannot be reset if a patient suffers from a condition that interferes with stages of "deep" sleep.
 Trap here. In (2) and (3), the statements indicate that if (4) then there may be some reasons cause (1) not to be reset. The statements don't imply that (1) cannot be reset because of conditions that interferes with stage of deep sleep.

(C) Patients who do not suffer from conditions that can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep will not develop fibromyalgia.
 There is no information indicated that patients who don't suffer from conditions that interferes with deep sleep will not develop fibromyalgia. The statements just say that patients have trouble with deep sleep could cause fibromyalgia.

(D) Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia.
 Correct. Such conditions can interfere deep sleep and thus can make the release of P cannot be reset and cause fibromyalgia as the result.

(E) Drug users who experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue most likely suffer from fibromyalgia.
 There is no information linked "fibromyalgia" to "Drug users who experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue"

gmatexam439 · Answer

Neuropeptide substance P 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 stages of deep sleep. If, however, the mechanism cannot be reset, this process may run out of control and cause fibromyalgia, a disorder characterized by body-wide chronic pain and fatigue. Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use, and serotonin deficiency can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep.
 
The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?
 
(A) The  simplest  way to treat fibromyalgia is to control the release of neuropeptide substance P. - It's too exaggerated choice. 
(B) The release of neuropeptide substance P cannot be reset if a patient suffers from a condition that interferes with stages of "deep" sleep. - This is the opposite of the premise 
(C) Patients who do not suffer from conditions that can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep will not develop fibromyalgia. - It's too exaggerated choice. We do not know about all the causes of fibromyalgia. 
(D) Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia.  Correct 
(E) Drug users who experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue most likely suffer from fibromyalgia. - It's too exaggerated choice

GmatBawse · Answer

(A) The simplest way to treat fibromyalgia is to control the release of neuropeptide substance P.  we are not told what is the simplest way to treat X

(B) The release of neuropeptide substance P cannot be reset if a patient suffers from a condition that interferes with stages of "deep" sleep.  We know that deep sleep helps in resetting of the substance; we know certain conditions affect deep sleep- but its an overstatement to say that these conditions will lead to affect resetting process.

(C) Patients who do not suffer from conditions that can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep will not develop fibromyalgia. -  again an overstatement - for all we know these conditions can have extreme impact on deep sleep and stop resetting.

(D) Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia.
 Balance and correct - rightfully makes a connection between conditions affecting deep sleep that could have an effect on release of substance and consequently on fibromyalgia
 
(E) Drug users who experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue most likely suffer from fibromyalgia.  Wrong correlation- there could be an unrelated coz for chronic pain that is not at all related to fibromyalgia.

ArjunJag1328 · Answer

Neuropeptide substance P 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 stages of deep sleep. If, however, the mechanism cannot be reset, this process may run out of control and cause fibromyalgia, a disorder characterized by body-wide chronic pain and fatigue. Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use, and serotonin deficiency can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep.

The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

(A) The simplest way to treat fibromyalgia is to control the release of neuropeptide substance P.
Explanation: Irrelevant

(B) The release of neuropeptide substance P cannot be reset if a patient suffers from a condition that interferes with stages of "deep" sleep.
Explanation: Too extreme

(C) Patients who do not suffer from conditions that can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep will not develop fibromyalgia.
Explanation: Irrelevant

(D) Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia.
Explanation: This supports the conclusion because the interference of these conditions can cause or aggravate fibromyalgia. - CORRECT

(E) Drug users who experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue most likely suffer from fibromyalgia.
Explanation: These are condition that aggravate fibromyalgia.Hence Incorrect

Samine · Answer

I don't understand why B is wrong? This option used "cannot" to show that if a patient suffers with "deep" sleep, the mechanism cannot be reset. Does "cannot" mean a possibility that "deep" sleep might prevent the NSP process from being reset? Why D is correct answer when it also used "can" to mention a possibility?

Please help me with this problem! Thanks

gmatconqueror2018 · Answer

Normally, I struggle with CR inference questions that have technical language/fancy terms. I made a bulleted list to follow the argument.

-P causes more sensitivity to pain
-reset during sleep stage
-if not reset, out of control and leads to F (body pain/fatigue)
-D A, DV, SD can make cycle go nuts (turns out this pretty much helped me find the answer)

Breaking apart the argument will definitely help.

cymbri · Answer

Neuropeptide substance P 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 stages of deep sleep. If, however, the mechanism cannot be reset, this process may run out of control and cause fibromyalgia, a disorder characterized by body-wide chronic pain and fatigue. Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use, and serotonin deficiency can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep.
 
The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

(A) The simplest way to treat fibromyalgia is to control the release of neuropeptide substance P.

(B) The release of neuropeptide substance P cannot be reset if a patient suffers from a condition that interferes with stages of "deep" sleep.

(C) Patients who do not suffer from conditions that can interfere with stages of "deep" sleep will not develop fibromyalgia.

(D) Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use and serotonin deficiency can aggravate or even cause fibromyalgia.

(E) Drug users who experience body-wide chronic pain and fatigue most likely suffer from fibromyalgia.

Are you making the conclusion that substance P is responsible for the condition - Fibromyalgia? There may be other causes.

mSKR · Answer

Hi  AndrewN  sir,

Please help me to understand the meaning of bold text.

means substance P is released around initiating nerves in brain in response to pain felt at nerves end in spinal cord ?
i am confused with initiating and ending of nerves.

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  imSKR . In the first line of the passage,  initiating nerves  can be thought of as those that may start to send the pain signal through the spinal cord. If nerve endings around those nerves  also become more sensitive , then the initiating nerves may send more signals, and we can appreciate the cyclical nature of the process, one that may eventually lead to fibromyalgia. It is not the easiest of sentences to break down, but you can lean on other parts of the passage for contextual clues.

I hope that helps. Thank you for thinking to ask me.

- Andrew

IIMA-ABHISHEK · Answer

Link all the conditions, its one type of conditional reasoning question.

"Conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug use will cause not deep sleep. If no deep sleep then not reset. If not reset then "may cause or aggravate fibro". Hence option-D

AbhishekP220108 · Answer

Here's how I see it:
The passage basically lays out a chain reaction:
 * Things like depression, anxiety, and drug use can mess with your deep sleep.
 * Deep sleep is critical because it's when your body is supposed to "reset" the mechanism that makes you sensitive to pain (the one involving substance P).
 * If you don't get that deep sleep, the reset doesn't happen.
 * The passage then says that if this mechanism can't be reset, it can run wild and cause fibromyalgia.
So, if you connect those dots, the conditions listed in step 1 (depression, anxiety, etc.) can directly lead to the outcome in step 4 (fibromyalgia) by blocking the necessary reset. This is why (D) makes the most sense. Those conditions can cause it by starting this whole chain reaction, or they could aggravate an existing case by continuously preventing the reset that would offer relief.

Why the other options are incorrect:
​(A) The passage describes a mechanism, not a treatment. It never discusses the "simplest way to treat" the condition.
​(B) This statement is too strong. The passage says the conditions "can interfere" with deep sleep, not that they always interfere to the point that the mechanism "cannot be reset".
​(C) This is also too strong ("will not"). The passage lists some conditions that can interfere with sleep, but it doesn't say they are the only things that can. It's also possible for fibromyalgia to have other causes not mentioned in the text.
​(E) This reverses the logic and makes a probability claim ("most likely") that the text doesn't support. The passage says drug use can be a factor in causing fibromyalgia, not that people with drug use and pain most likely have it (their symptoms could be from many other causes).

Neuropeptide substance P is released in the spinal cord in response to

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Neuropeptide substance P is released in the spinal cord in response to

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