gmatclub pain due to fibromyalgia

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gmatclub pain due to fibromyalgia

by arora007 » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:03 am
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.

OA is not B, please explain your pick
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by AIM GMAT » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:20 am
I dont have a good feeling about this , but IMO A. I might be completely wrong also.
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by arora007 » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:23 am
OA is C.
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by AIM GMAT » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:31 am
arora007 wrote:OA is C.
The fight was between A and C , but i chose A coz i found that sleep is playing a minor role.

Lets analyse in detail : -

Theory :- "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. "

IMP points :--- Substance P and the mechanism reset in sleep.

What if its not reset in sleep ? It doesnt reset only when pain is widespread.

Negating the option :- Deep sleep is not so necessary to the healthy functioning of the nervous system.


Hope it helps .
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by Adam@Knewton » Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:31 pm
The wrong answer choices here all can be eliminated for reasons of scope. The key to this question is in recognizing it as a Casuality question, the most predictable types CR question on the GMAT. The basic argument is that:

lack of deep sleep --(causes)--> not "resetting" the substace P mechanism --(causes)--> fibromyalgia/pain

The underlying Assumption, then is simply:

(nothing else) --(causes)--> the same effects.

A classic Weakener would then be "[some other factor other than lack of sleep] is in fact the primary cause/"

Choice (C) says: Deep sleep is necessary, meaning that without it, there will be problems. If we negate this, and find that deep sleep isn't necessary, then it's entirely possible that other factors could be the culprits, not the lack of deep sleep.

The wrong answers:

(A) "The body" is way too broad in scope for this argument; other parts of the body besides those associated with "deep sleep" could contradict this argument. Furthermore, the negation of this choice reads: "the body has an unlimited amount of control over substance P," meaning, the body has infinite control over this substance. If this is the case, then interfering with deep sleep could very well cause a complete and total change in the substance P mechanism, still supporting the argument.

(B) Treating or preventing fibromyalgia or anything else is outside the scope of its causation.

(D) Curing fibromyalgia is completely outside the scope of its causation.

(E) Who should treat fibromyalgia is completely outisde the scope of its causation.

Lesson to learn: If you identify this as a Causality question, it borders on being easy. If not, it's very very challenging. All the more reason to learn those classic patterns of questions and answers for CR and all areas of the GMAT! :)
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by AIM GMAT » Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:47 am
Thanks Adam for the wonderful insight into the question , i totally missed the scope in option A . So "Scope" wil be the takeaway learning from this CR .
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by shagalo » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:08 pm
Adam@Knewton wrote:The wrong answer choices here all can be eliminated for reasons of scope. The key to this question is in recognizing it as a Casuality question, the most predictable types CR question on the GMAT. The basic argument is that:

lack of deep sleep --(causes)--> not "resetting" the substace P mechanism --(causes)--> fibromyalgia/pain

The underlying Assumption, then is simply:

(nothing else) --(causes)--> the same effects.

A classic Weakener would then be "[some other factor other than lack of sleep] is in fact the primary cause/"

Choice (C) says: Deep sleep is necessary, meaning that without it, there will be problems. If we negate this, and find that deep sleep isn't necessary, then it's entirely possible that other factors could be the culprits, not the lack of deep sleep.

The wrong answers:

(A) "The body" is way too broad in scope for this argument; other parts of the body besides those associated with "deep sleep" could contradict this argument. Furthermore, the negation of this choice reads: "the body has an unlimited amount of control over substance P," meaning, the body has infinite control over this substance. If this is the case, then interfering with deep sleep could very well cause a complete and total change in the substance P mechanism, still supporting the argument.

(B) Treating or preventing fibromyalgia or anything else is outside the scope of its causation.

(D) Curing fibromyalgia is completely outside the scope of its causation.

(E) Who should treat fibromyalgia is completely outisde the scope of its causation.

Lesson to learn: If you identify this as a Causality question, it borders on being easy. If not, it's very very challenging. All the more reason to learn those classic patterns of questions and answers for CR and all areas of the GMAT! :)

how did you find that : not "resetting" the substace P mechanism --(causes)--> fibromyalgia/pain
where in the passage you found this analysis ?

thanks