Critical Reasoning

Baking for winter holidays is tradition that may have a sound medical basis. In midwinter, when days are short, many people suffer from a specific type of seasonal depression caused by lack of sunlight. Carbohydrates, both sugars and starches, boost the brain's levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that improve the mood. In this respect, carbon hydrates act on the brain in the same way as some antidepressants. Thus, eating holiday cookies may provide an effective form of self-prescribed medication.
Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?
(A) Seasonal depression is one of the most easily treated forms of depression.
(B) Lack of sunlight lowers the level of serotonin in the brain.
(C) People are more likely to be depressed in midwinter than at other times of the year.
(D) Some antidepressants act by changing the brain's level of serotonin.
(E) Raising the level of neurotransmitters in the brain effectively relieves depression.
Why Not E ?

Conclusion: Eating cookies = effective medication

Evidence: In winter, people are depressed. Carbs boost serotonin, like some antidepressants.

Assumptions: - Cookies effective for at least depression. - Cookies have the carbs to boost serotonin. - Eating cookies would work on non-seasonal depression.

Question Rephrase: What can we say for sure is TRUE based on the given evidence + argument?

Prediction: Anything that relates most closely to the evidence -- stay away from choices that assume too much.

First pass:
A - Comparing forms of depression is out of scope.
B -
C - Again, comparing depression is out of scope.
D -
E - Serotonin is what is raised, not neurotransmitters

Let's compare the final two: B & D

Rephrase:
B - It's the SUN that affects serotonin level.
D - Raising the serotonin is the FIX used by antidepressants.

Which of these most closely relate to the evidence (meaning what is the closest PARAPHRASE to what was originally in the passage)? When we go back re-read what we wrote for "Evidence" we can see the closest choice is D.

VivianKerr wrote: E - Serotonin is what is raised, not neurotransmitters
.

But Vivian serotonin is a neurotransmitter

Serotonin is a TYPE of neurotransmitter, but it is the LEVEL of serotonin that is RAISED/LOWERED. You cannot "raise" or "lower" a neurotransmitter, or even the "level" of a neurotransmitter. It is a thing, not a chemical.

VivianKerr wrote:Serotonin is a TYPE of neurotransmitter, but it is the LEVEL of serotonin that is RAISED/LOWERED. You cannot "raise" or "lower" a neurotransmitter, or even the "level" of a neurotransmitter. It is a thing, not a chemical.

This is very vague . One can raise the levelof serotonin but not the level of a neurotransmitter . Ididnt understand this vwell. Vivian could you please explain a bit better
sorries was posting this from my mobile.Thats the reason thyat wrote such a hasty reply .
Thanks a Lot Vivian for helping

Even if you don't know what a "neurotransmitter" is, you can see from the argument that it clearly states: "boost the brain's levels of serotonin", and then uses a descriptive clause "a neurotransmitter that improves the mood" to DEFINE what "serotonin" is. The word "neurotransmitter" is in a small modifying phrase and is totally irrelevant to the argument.

The thing that is being raised and lowered is CLEARLY the "levels of serotonin." You are trying to use serotonin and neurotransmitters interchangeably, which is wrong and NOT implied here.

I eliminated E in a slightly different way

The conclusion has a uncertainty about effectiveness, if you read it closely it says
eating holiday cookies may provide an effective form of self-prescribed medication.

Since for an inference, the answer choice must be true, thus E, which says affirmatively that

Raising the level of neurotransmitters in the brain effectively relieves depression.

can not be correct

IMO D