Long-term information preservation happens through memory consolidation, a process where neural pathways become reinforced by the brain. Studies have ...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Long-term information preservation happens through memory consolidation, a process where neural pathways become reinforced by the brain. Studies have demonstrated that brain regions experiencing greater sleep deprivation display diminished abilities to form memories. Maria Rodriguez and her research group determined that sleep deprivation by itself fails to completely account for the memory deficits they observed, since the amount of sleep loss needed to cause these impacts surpasses what was actually recorded in the affected brain areas. Rather, their investigation revealed that cortisol, a stress hormone that gets released when sleep deprived, produces far more serious memory disruption than sleep deprivation alone.
Based on the passage, what did Rodriguez and her research group find regarding cortisol?
It gets released mainly when sleep is sufficient.
It produces far more serious memory disruption than sleep deprivation alone.
It assists brain recovery following sleep deprivation.
It has applications for enhancing memory consolidation mechanisms.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Long-term information preservation happens through memory consolidation, a process where neural pathways become reinforced by the brain." |
|
| "Studies have demonstrated that brain regions experiencing greater sleep deprivation display diminished abilities to form memories." |
|
| "Maria Rodriguez and her research group determined that sleep deprivation by itself fails to completely account for the memory deficits they observed," |
|
| "since the amount of sleep loss needed to cause these impacts surpasses what was actually recorded in the affected brain areas." |
|
| "Rather, their investigation revealed that cortisol, a stress hormone that gets released when sleep deprived, produces far more serious memory disruption than sleep deprivation alone." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture
Main Point: Rodriguez found that cortisol, not sleep deprivation itself, is the primary cause of serious memory disruption.
Argument Flow: The passage starts with established knowledge about sleep and memory, then introduces Rodriguez's research that challenged this simple relationship. Rodriguez discovered that the real problem is the cortisol released when sleep deprived, which causes much more severe memory problems than sleep loss alone.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- From our analysis, Rodriguez found that cortisol is a stress hormone that gets released when people are sleep deprived
- More importantly, she discovered that this cortisol produces much more serious memory disruption than sleep deprivation by itself does
It gets released mainly when sleep is sufficient.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims cortisol gets released mainly when sleep is sufficient, which contradicts the passage
It produces far more serious memory disruption than sleep deprivation alone.
✓ Correct
- Matches exactly what Rodriguez found: cortisol produces far more serious memory disruption than sleep deprivation alone
It assists brain recovery following sleep deprivation.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests cortisol assists brain recovery, but the passage presents cortisol as causing problems
It has applications for enhancing memory consolidation mechanisms.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims cortisol has applications for enhancing memory, but the passage focuses on cortisol's harmful effects