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Introduction Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), including testosterone and synthetic derivatives, are typically used to increase muscle mass. Many users develop a dependence on these substances, contributing to worsened physical and mental health outcomes. Aspects of personality and executive dysfunction may represent underlying vulnerabilities for developing dependence. Objective To identify levels of AAS dependence within substance use disorder (SUD) treatment patients and assess the relationship between dependence severity and personality traits and executive function (EF). Methods Data were collected from patients at 38 SUD treatment facilities in Norway. Questionnaires were completed for measures of personality and EF. Measures of symptoms of AAS dependence were used in latent class analysis to identify sub-groups of patients, which were evaluated for association with EF and personality traits, and compared with a group of non-AAS using SUD patients. Results Three classes were identified; largely reflecting low, moderate, and high symptoms of dependence. Multinomial regression analyses indicated that moderate and high symptoms were associated with several measures of EF and personality traits, particularly self-monitoring, antagonism, disinhibition, and rigid perfectionism while users with low symptoms exhibited higher capacities for emotional control and shift, and lower negative affectivity, relative to non-AAS using SUD patients. Backward stepwise regressions indicated antagonism, and decreased self-monitoring as key personality and cognitive characteristics of SUD patients with severe AAS dependence. Conclusion Our findings indicate that specific executive dysfunctions and personality features, particularly those associated with poor emotional control, reduced empathy, and impulsivity are associated with more severe AAS dependence in the SUD population.

A knowledge gap remains in understanding how to improve the intervention effectiveness in office workers targeting physically active (PA) behavior. We aim to identify the modifying effect of executive function (EF) on the intervention effectiveness targeting PA-behaviors, and to verify whether the observed effect varies by Job Demand Control (JDC) categories. This workplace-based intervention study included 245 participants who were randomized into a control group and two intervention arms-promoting physical activity (iPA) group or reducing sedentary behavior (iSED) group. The interventions were conducted through counselling-based cognitive behavioral therapy and team activities over 6 months. PA-behaviors were measured by an accelerometer. EF was assessed by the Trail Making Test-B, Stroop, and n-back test. The JDC categories were measured by the demand control questionnaire. Higher EF level at baseline was significantly associated with the intervention effect on increased sleep time (beta-coefficient: 3.33, p = 0.003) and decreased sedentary time (-2.76, p = 0.049) in the iSED-group. Participants with active jobs (high job demands, high control) presented significantly increased light-intensity PA in the iSED-group in comparison to the control group. Among participants with a high level of EF and active jobs, relative to the control group, the iPA-group showed a substantial increase in light-intensity PA (1.58, p = 0.036) and the iSED-group showed a tendency of reducing sedentary behavior (-5.35, p = 0.054). The findings suggest that office workers with a high EF and active jobs may benefit most from an intervention study targeting PA-behaviors.

A knowledge gap remains in understanding how to improve the intervention effectiveness in office workers targeting physically active (PA) behavior. We aim to identify the modifying effect of executive function (EF) on the intervention effectiveness targeting PA-behaviors, and to verify whether the observed effect varies by Job Demand Control (JDC) categories. This workplace-based intervention study included 245 participants who were randomized into a control group and two intervention arms-promoting physical activity (iPA) group or reducing sedentary behavior (iSED) group. The interventions were conducted through counselling-based cognitive behavioral therapy and team activities over 6 months. PA-behaviors were measured by an accelerometer. EF was assessed by the Trail Making Test-B, Stroop, and n-back test. The JDC categories were measured by the demand control questionnaire. Higher EF level at baseline was significantly associated with the intervention effect on increased sleep time (beta-coefficient: 3.33, p = 0.003) and decreased sedentary time (-2.76, p = 0.049) in the iSED-group. Participants with active jobs (high job demands, high control) presented significantly increased light-intensity PA in the iSED-group in comparison to the control group. Among participants with a high level of EF and active jobs, relative to the control group, the iPA-group showed a substantial increase in light-intensity PA (1.58, p = 0.036) and the iSED-group showed a tendency of reducing sedentary behavior (-5.35, p = 0.054). The findings suggest that office workers with a high EF and active jobs may benefit most from an intervention study targeting PA-behaviors.

A knowledge gap remains in understanding how to improve the intervention effectiveness in office workers targeting physically active (PA) behavior. We aim to identify the modifying effect of executive function (EF) on the intervention effectiveness targeting PA-behaviors, and to verify whether the observed effect varies by Job Demand Control (JDC) categories. This workplace-based intervention study included 245 participants who were randomized into a control group and two intervention arms-promoting physical activity (iPA) group or reducing sedentary behavior (iSED) group. The interventions were conducted through counselling-based cognitive behavioral therapy and team activities over 6 months. PA-behaviors were measured by an accelerometer. EF was assessed by the Trail Making Test-B, Stroop, and n-back test. The JDC categories were measured by the demand control questionnaire. Higher EF level at baseline was significantly associated with the intervention effect on increased sleep time (beta-coefficient: 3.33, p = 0.003) and decreased sedentary time (-2.76, p = 0.049) in the iSED-group. Participants with active jobs (high job demands, high control) presented significantly increased light-intensity PA in the iSED-group in comparison to the control group. Among participants with a high level of EF and active jobs, relative to the control group, the iPA-group showed a substantial increase in light-intensity PA (1.58, p = 0.036) and the iSED-group showed a tendency of reducing sedentary behavior (-5.35, p = 0.054). The findings suggest that office workers with a high EF and active jobs may benefit most from an intervention study targeting PA-behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Exercise has the potential to reduce cognitive decline in people with Down syndrome by maximising their cognitive function. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of regular exercise on cognitive functioning in young people with Down syndrome. METHOD: People with Down syndrome were eligible if aged between 13 and 35 years and enrolled to participate in an exercise programme (called FitSkills). The intervention was a 12-week community-based exercise programme completed with a student mentor. Outcomes were assessed before (week 0) and immediately after (week 13) the intervention. Executive functioning (planning, response inhibition, attention shifting) was assessed using Tower of London, Sustained Attention to Response Task, CANTAB Intra-extra Dimensional Set Shift Test, Cognitive Scale for Down Syndrome, and Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Working memory was assessed using the CANTAB Paired Associates Learning task, and information processing speed was assessed using the Motor Screening Task. Outcomes were analysed using ANCOVA with the baseline measure as the covariate. RESULTS: Twenty participants (9 women; mean age 23.6 ± 6.6 years) enrolled. Between-group differences, in favour of the experimental group, were found for the global executive composite score of the BRIEF (mean difference -4.77 units, 95% CI -9.30 to -0.25). There were no between group differences for any other outcome measured. CONCLUSION: Participation in a 12-week exercise programme was effective in improving everyday executive functions in young people with Down syndrome. These preliminary findings need to be confirmed in future randomised controlled trials of community-based exercise with larger sample sizes.

This study aimed to explore cross-sectional associations between executive function (EF), and community and household factors (household SES, caregiver education, home learning environment, caregiver/child interaction, caregiver wellbeing, and exposure to community violence) in a sample of children from very low-SES settings in Cape Town, South Africa. Results revealed that children exposed to higher levels of violence perform worse on inhibition tasks. No other associations were significant, highlighting the need to reassess how researchers can better understand these settings and the effects on EF development.

Attention is widely considered a core process of Executive Function (EF), but it is not clear if it is a separable or integral component of EF in preschool children. Preschool children (n=137) completed a battery of tasks which included EF (i.e., response inhibition, working memory) and attentional control (AC) processes (i.e., sustained attention, selective attention). Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) indicated that a two-factor model with EF and AC as separate factors fit the data better than a unitary one-factor model. These findings are consistent with the view that EF and AC are developing at different rates during the preschool years, and thus are not yet fully integrated in the processing of information. The implications of how EF and AC should be conceptualized in early childhood are discussed.

A considerable number of studies have investigated whether speaking two languages improves executive function. Results, while controversial, have highlighted the influence of second language proficiency on the emergence of these cognitive advantages. To date, few studies have investigated whether other related linguistic experiences, such as dialect use, confer similar advantages. The diverse range of dialects found across the People’s Republic of China provide ideal conditions under which to explore this question. Using a heterogeneous sample of Mandarin-English bilingual, bidialectal young adults (n = 73), the present study investigated whether differences in self-reported dialect proficiency impacted on Simon Task performance. While results showed reduced Simon effects associated with higher reported dialect proficiency, it was a consequence of slower performance on congruent trials, not improved performance on incongruent trials. The observed reduction in facilitation from congruent trials associated with higher reported dialect proficiency suggests a cognitive disadvantage, but merits further investigation.

BACKGROUND: The conversational speech of most children can be understood by people outside the family by the time they reach 4 years. However, for some children, speech sound disorders (SSDs) persist into their early school years, and beyond, despite adequate hearing, oromotor function, and language learning opportunities. One explanation for children's SSDs are domain-general cognitive-linguistic deficits that impair the child's ability to correctly derive rules governing how speech sounds legally combine to form words in a specific language. AIMS: To explore whether there are differences in performance on executive function tasks between children who make speech errors characteristic of phonological delay and those who make speech errors characteristic of phonological disorder. METHODS & PROCEDURES: Twenty-six children aged from 3;6 to 5;2 (13 with phonological delay and 13 with phonological disorder), matched pairwise for age and sex (nine males), were assessed on tasks measuring cognitive flexibility (rule abstraction and cognitive shift) and phonological working memory. OUTCOME & RESULTS: For the cognitive flexibility tasks, the performance of children with phonological delay was significantly better than that for children with phonological disorder, but there were no group differences for the phonological working memory task. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Children with phonological disorders might benefit from intervention programmes that incorporate training in cognitive flexibility. WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT: Children with phonological delay and phonological disorder comprise the two largest SSD subgroups that present to speech-language therapy clinics. Evidence suggests domain-general cognitive processes (e.g., phonological working memory, ability to revise faulty underlying representations, rule abstraction, and cognitive shift) influence phonological development. Differences between the two subgroups in the types of speech errors, linguistic abil

A knowledge gap remains in understanding how to improve the intervention effectiveness in office workers targeting physically active (PA) behavior. We aim to identify the modifying effect of executive function (EF) on the intervention effectiveness targeting PA-behaviors, and to verify whether the observed effect varies by Job Demand Control (JDC) categories. This workplace-based intervention study included 245 participants who were randomized into a control group and two intervention arms-promoting physical activity (iPA) group or reducing sedentary behavior (iSED) group. The interventions were conducted through counselling-based cognitive behavioral therapy and team activities over 6 months. PA-behaviors were measured by an accelerometer. EF was assessed by the Trail Making Test-B, Stroop, and n-back test. The JDC categories were measured by the demand control questionnaire. Higher EF level at baseline was significantly associated with the intervention effect on increased sleep time (beta-coefficient: 3.33, p = 0.003) and decreased sedentary time (-2.76, p = 0.049) in the iSED-group. Participants with active jobs (high job demands, high control) presented significantly increased light-intensity PA in the iSED-group in comparison to the control group. Among participants with a high level of EF and active jobs, relative to the control group, the iPA-group showed a substantial increase in light-intensity PA (1.58, p = 0.036) and the iSED-group showed a tendency of reducing sedentary behavior (-5.35, p = 0.054). The findings suggest that office workers with a high EF and active jobs may benefit most from an intervention study targeting PA-behaviors.

The Assessment of Deficits in Executive Function with the Cologne Executive Assessment Abstract: Executive dysfunctions are common following traumatic brain injury, stroke, or neurodegenerative diseases. The associated behavioral changes or deficits in emotion recognition are usually not addressed in neuropsychological diagnostics. Hence, we developed the Cologne Executive Assessment (KEX), which represents an extension of existing instruments and is based on recent research concerning executive functions. The KEX's subtests - Pair Association Learning-5, Animal-Word Interference Test, Emotion Recognition Test, Informant-based Frontal Assessment Questionnaire - were examined in clinical and healthy samples with 1,232 participants from the Cologne University Hospital (Clinic and Polyclinic for Neurology) between 2014 and 2020. This work introduces the subtests and presents results from the normation studies. The KEX proves to be an economical and easy-to-use instrument for assisting an orienting assessment of executive dysfunctions.

Growing evidence implicates the gut microbiome in cognition. Blastocystis is a common gut single-cell eukaryote parasite frequently detected in humans but its potential involvement in human pathophysiology has been poorly characterized. Here we describe how the presence of Blastocystis in the gut microbiome was associated with deficits in executive function and altered gut bacterial composition in a discovery (n = 114) and replication cohorts (n = 942). We also found that Blastocystis was linked to bacterial functions related to aromatic amino acids metabolism and folate-mediated pyrimidine and one-carbon metabolism. Blastocystis-associated shifts in bacterial functionality translated into the circulating metabolome. Finally, we evaluated the effects of microbiota transplantation. Donor’s Blastocystis subtypes led to altered recipient’s mice cognitive function and prefrontal cortex gene expression. In summary, Blastocystis warrant further consideration as a novel actor in the gut microbiome-brain axis.

1. metadata_BLASTOCYSTIS Contains relevant clinical and cognitive information about the subjects: age, BMI, sex, years of ecudation and measures of executive function (total digit Span, trail making test part B, stroop interference). 2. Metabolomics_Plasma_HPLC_MS_positive_mode Contains the plasma metabolomic raw data (intensities) measured by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS in positive mode for each subjects according to the mass and retention time (mass@retention time). 3. Metabolomics_Plasma_HPLC_MS_negative_mode Contains the plasma metabolomic raw data (intensities) measured by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS in negative mode for each subjects according to the mass and retention time (mass@retention time). 4. Metabolomics_Plasma_NMR Contains the integrations of the plasma metabolites measures by 1H-NMR for each subject. 5. Metabolomics_Feces_HPLC_MS_positive_mode Contains the fecal metabolomic raw data (intensities) measured by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS in positive mode for each subjects according to the mass and retention time (mass@retention time). 6. Metabolomics_Feces_HPLC_MS_negative_mode Contains the fecal metabolomic raw data (intensities) measured by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS in negative mode for each subjects according to the mass and retention time (mass@retention time). 7. Metabolomics_Feces_NMR Contains the integrations of the fecal metabolites measures by 1H-NMR for each subject.

Introduction Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), including testosterone and synthetic derivatives, are typically used to increase muscle mass. Many users develop a dependence on these substances, contributing to worsened physical and mental health outcomes. Aspects of personality and executive dysfunction may represent underlying vulnerabilities for developing dependence. Objective To identify levels of AAS dependence within substance use disorder (SUD) treatment patients and assess the relationship between dependence severity and personality traits and executive function (EF). Methods Data were collected from patients at 38 SUD treatment facilities in Norway. Questionnaires were completed for measures of personality and EF. Measures of symptoms of AAS dependence were used in latent class analysis to identify sub-groups of patients, which were evaluated for association with EF and personality traits, and compared with a group of non-AAS using SUD patients. Results Three classes were identified; largely reflecting low, moderate, and high symptoms of dependence. Multinomial regression analyses indicated that moderate and high symptoms were associated with several measures of EF and personality traits, particularly self-monitoring, antagonism, disinhibition, and rigid perfectionism while users with low symptoms exhibited higher capacities for emotional control and shift, and lower negative affectivity, relative to non-AAS using SUD patients. Backward stepwise regressions indicated antagonism, and decreased self-monitoring as key personality and cognitive characteristics of SUD patients with severe AAS dependence. Conclusion Our findings indicate that specific executive dysfunctions and personality features, particularly those associated with poor emotional control, reduced empathy, and impulsivity are associated with more severe AAS dependence in the SUD population.

Heart transplant recipients are required to take lifelong immunosuppression medications to prevent organ rejection and preserve organ function, however rates of medication nonadherence remain high. This population is at an increased cumulative risk for cerebral hypoxic injury over the course of their lifetime, and a substantial portion of heart transplant recipients may be at risk for cognitive impairment for these reasons. While evidence indicates that a relationship between certain cognitive processes (e.g., executive function) and medication adherence exists across a wide range of chronic diseases, the relationship between these variables has not been studied in heart transplant recipients. The purpose of this research was to describe the associations between certain types of cognitive processes, illness perceptions, and medication adherence in heart transplant recipients. A cross-sectional, observational study involving 35 heart transplant recipients examined these associations. Findings indicate that episodic memory, intrusions, and cognitive impairment were related to medication adherence in this sample. Additionally, illness coherence and depression were associated with adherence. Findings from this study support the need for longitudinal evaluations of cognitive function, depression, and medication adherence and should be considered when developing interventions to support medication adherence.

A knowledge gap remains in understanding how to improve the intervention effectiveness in office workers targeting physically active (PA) behavior. We aim to identify the modifying effect of executive function (EF) on the intervention effectiveness targeting PA-behaviors, and to verify whether the observed effect varies by Job Demand Control (JDC) categories. This workplace-based intervention study included 245 participants who were randomized into a control group and two intervention arms-promoting physical activity (iPA) group or reducing sedentary behavior (iSED) group. The interventions were conducted through counselling-based cognitive behavioral therapy and team activities over 6 months. PA-behaviors were measured by an accelerometer. EF was assessed by the Trail Making Test-B, Stroop, and n-back test. The JDC categories were measured by the demand control questionnaire. Higher EF level at baseline was significantly associated with the intervention effect on increased sleep time (beta-coefficient: 3.33, p = 0.003) and decreased sedentary time (-2.76, p = 0.049) in the iSED-group. Participants with active jobs (high job demands, high control) presented significantly increased light-intensity PA in the iSED-group in comparison to the control group. Among participants with a high level of EF and active jobs, relative to the control group, the iPA-group showed a substantial increase in light-intensity PA (1.58, p = 0.036) and the iSED-group showed a tendency of reducing sedentary behavior (-5.35, p = 0.054). The findings suggest that office workers with a high EF and active jobs may benefit most from an intervention study targeting PA-behaviors.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that opioid receptor antagonists, such as naltrexone, are effective pharmacotherapies for alcohol, opioid, and possibly stimulant use disorders. It is posited that naltrexone exerts its effects, in part, by increasing functional connectivity between neural reward circuitry and frontal systems implicated in executive function. Yet no studies had examined whether executive function moderates these effects. Objectives: This study examined whether a composite measure of executive function (EF) moderates the effect of naltrexone on craving for methamphetamine and subjective responses following infusion of the drug. Methods: Individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (N = 30; 27% female) completed baseline neurocognitive assessments of premorbid and executive function, and an executive function factor was computed. Participants then underwent a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study of titration with naltrexone and placebo. Participants then received a 30-mg intravenous methamphetamine infusion and completed subjective response questionnaires at 8 times in the 120 minutes post-infusion. Results: Multilevel mixed models indicated a significant EF × medication interaction, reflecting greater effects of naltrexone to decrease "desire to access the drug", "want more of the drug", "crave the drug", "feel drug effects" and "feel high" in participants with low EF compared to those with high EF (Bs = .36-1.29, SEs = .14-.17, ps<0.01). These effects remained significant after controlling for premorbid cognitive functioning, baseline responses to methamphetamine, severity of methamphetamine use, and methamphetamine-related functional problems. Conclusion: Naltrexone may be especially effective in methamphetamine-dependent individuals with low EF. Neuropsychological assessments may also provide predictive clinical utility not captured by traditional measures of substance use severity.

Aim: To examine the association between brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics and executive function and bimanual performance in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Method(s): Clinical MRI brain scans were classified as: (1) predominant pathological pattern (normal, white matter injury [WMI]; grey matter injury; focal vascular insults [FVI]; malformations; or miscellaneous); and (2) focal lesions (frontal, basal ganglia, and/or thalamus). Assessments included: (1) bimanual performance; (2) unimanual dexterity; and (3) executive function tasks (information processing, attention control, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting) and behavioural ratings (parent). Result(s): From 131 recruited children, 60 were ineligible for analysis, leaving 71 children (47 males, 24 females) in the final sample (mean age 9y [SD 2y], 6y-12y 8mo). Brain MRIs were WMI (69%) and FVI (31%); and frontal (59%), thalamic (45%), basal ganglia (37%), and basal ganglia plus thalamic (21%). Bimanual performance was lower in FVI versus WMI (p<0.003), and with frontal (p=0.36), basal ganglia (p=0.032), and thalamic/basal ganglia lesions (p=0.013). Other than information processing, executive function tasks were not associated with predominant pattern. Frontal lesions predicted attention control (p=0.049) and cognitive flexibility (p=0.009) but not goal setting, information processing, or behavioural ratings. Interpretation(s): Clinical brain MRI predicts cognitive and motor outcomes when focal lesions and predominate lesion patterns are considered. What this paper adds Early brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) predicts bimanual performance and cognitive outcomes. Brain MRI may identify children requiring targeted interventions. Basal ganglia with/without thalamic lesions predicted bimanual performance. Frontal lesions were associated with attention control and cognitive flexibility. Brain MRI predominant patterns predicted motor, not cognitive outcomes, other than info

Aim: To examine the association between brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics and executive function and bimanual performance in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Method(s): Clinical MRI brain scans were classified as: (1) predominant pathological pattern (normal, white matter injury [WMI]; grey matter injury; focal vascular insults [FVI]; malformations; or miscellaneous); and (2) focal lesions (frontal, basal ganglia, and/or thalamus). Assessments included: (1) bimanual performance; (2) unimanual dexterity; and (3) executive function tasks (information processing, attention control, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting) and behavioural ratings (parent). Result(s): From 131 recruited children, 60 were ineligible for analysis, leaving 71 children (47 males, 24 females) in the final sample (mean age 9y [SD 2y], 6y-12y 8mo). Brain MRIs were WMI (69%) and FVI (31%); and frontal (59%), thalamic (45%), basal ganglia (37%), and basal ganglia plus thalamic (21%). Bimanual performance was lower in FVI versus WMI (p<0.003), and with frontal (p=0.36), basal ganglia (p=0.032), and thalamic/basal ganglia lesions (p=0.013). Other than information processing, executive function tasks were not associated with predominant pattern. Frontal lesions predicted attention control (p=0.049) and cognitive flexibility (p=0.009) but not goal setting, information processing, or behavioural ratings. Interpretation(s): Clinical brain MRI predicts cognitive and motor outcomes when focal lesions and predominate lesion patterns are considered. What this paper adds Early brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) predicts bimanual performance and cognitive outcomes. Brain MRI may identify children requiring targeted interventions. Basal ganglia with/without thalamic lesions predicted bimanual performance. Frontal lesions were associated with attention control and cognitive flexibility. Brain MRI predominant patterns predicted motor, not cognitive outcomes, other than info

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that opioid receptor antagonists, such as naltrexone, are effective pharmacotherapies for alcohol, opioid, and possibly stimulant use disorders. It is posited that naltrexone exerts its effects, in part, by increasing functional connectivity between neural reward circuitry and frontal systems implicated in executive function. Yet no studies had examined whether executive function moderates these effects. Objectives: This study examined whether a composite measure of executive function (EF) moderates the effect of naltrexone on craving for methamphetamine and subjective responses following infusion of the drug. Methods: Individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (N = 30; 27% female) completed baseline neurocognitive assessments of premorbid and executive function, and an executive function factor was computed. Participants then underwent a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study of titration with naltrexone and placebo. Participants then received a 30-mg intravenous methamphetamine infusion and completed subjective response questionnaires at 8 times in the 120 minutes post-infusion. Results: Multilevel mixed models indicated a significant EF × medication interaction, reflecting greater effects of naltrexone to decrease "desire to access the drug", "want more of the drug", "crave the drug", "feel drug effects" and "feel high" in participants with low EF compared to those with high EF (Bs = .36-1.29, SEs = .14-.17, ps<0.01). These effects remained significant after controlling for premorbid cognitive functioning, baseline responses to methamphetamine, severity of methamphetamine use, and methamphetamine-related functional problems. Conclusion: Naltrexone may be especially effective in methamphetamine-dependent individuals with low EF. Neuropsychological assessments may also provide predictive clinical utility not captured by traditional measures of substance use severity.

Executive function (EF) is an umbrella term for a collection of important cognitive skills, including working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. These skills are important for both short-term and long-term outcomes such as peer relations, mental and physical health, and academic achievement. Numerous factors influence performance on each of these skills, one of which is experiencing stress. However, how different stressors impact EF across the life span, and how stress-induced impacts on EF are related to other outcomes, is not fully understood. For example, while there is a large body of literature examining the effects of acute stress on adult EF, the literature on this relation in childhood is sparse. The aim of the following studies was to examine how different stressors impact EF and how this process relates to other outcomes, such as academic achievement and mental health. First, longitudinal analyses of the mediating role of executive function in middle childhood (age 7-11) in the relation between early-life family income (age 0-5) and academic achievement in late adolescence (16-18) were examined. These analyses indicated that executive function serves as a mediator in this relation. Second, the effects of an acute experimental stressor on EF performance in 9-11-year-old children were examined, as well as the potential moderating roles of child characteristics such as physiological reactivity and emotional and behavioral problems. There was no overall effect of stress on EF performance but there was a moderating effect of parasympathetic nervous system reactivity in the relation between stress condition and inhibitory control performance. Lastly, the association between COVID-19-related economic stress and both EF and mental health in 9-17-year-old children and their parents was examined. There were no effects of either parental job loss or family financial stress on EF, but family financial stress did predict worse mental health in paren

Background: Neuropsychological alterations can lead to inaccurate perception, interpretation, and response to environmental information, which could be a risk factor for suicide. Methods: Ninety-six subjects were recruited from the Psychiatry Department of the Araba University Hospital-Santiago, including 20 patients with a recent attempt and diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-V, 33 MDD patients with history of attempted suicide, 23 non-attempter MDD patients, and 20 healthy controls. All participants underwent a clinical interview and neuropsychological assessment on the following cognitive domains: working memory, processing speed, decision-making, executive function, and attention. Backward multiple regressions were performed adjusting for significant confounding variables. For group comparisons, ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were performed with a p < 0.05 significance level. Results: The patient groups did not differ regarding severity of depression and stressful events in the last 6 months. In comparison to healthy controls, depressed patients with lifetime suicide attempts had more general trauma (p = 0.003), emotional abuse (p = 0.003), emotional negligence (p = 0.006), and physical negligence (p = 0.009), and depressed patients with recent suicide attempts had experienced more child sexual abuse (p = 0.038). Regarding neuropsychological assessment, all patient groups performed significantly worse than did healthy controls in processing speed, decision-making, and attention. Comparisons between patient groups indicated that recent suicide attempters had poorer performance on executive function in comparison to both depressed lifetime attempters and depressed non-attempters (B = 0.296, p = 0.019, and B = 0.301, p = 0.028, respectively). Besides, women with recent attempts had slightly better scores on executive function than males. Regarding the rest of the cognitive domains, there were no significant differences between groups

The present study explored the associations between executive function skills and play ability in toddlers with Down Syndrome (DS). Participants included 79 children with DS (mean age= 38 months; 53% female). Executive function ability was measured via parent report (BRIEF-P) and three child tasks (Memory Tower Task, EF Search Task, and the Persistence Puzzle Task). Play ability was measured via the Structured Play Assessment. Higher diversity of play acts predicted higher working memory ability and planning ability, while higher play level predicted better planning/persistence. Results suggest that play level and diversity of play can predict some aspects of EF (memory, planning, persistence), but not others (inhibition/shift from the Search Task) in this sample of toddlers with Down syndrome. Future research would benefit from larger samples that may address generalizability of study findings. Improving school readiness, as well as social and academic outcomes, in children with DS are critical research targets for this population during this developmental period. The results of this study may inform and support the development of interventions to better target improving these proficiencies.

ObjectivesContingency management is a promising intervention for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD).Impaired executive function may decrease adherence to such treatment, but there are few data on whether impairment in executive function predicts treatment outcomes. We therefore evaluated whether baseline performance on tests of executive function predicted treatment response in a trial of contingency management for MUD.MethodsThirty participants with MUD and 23 healthy controls performed the Connors Continuous Performance Task (CPT) and the Trail Making Task. MUD participants then entered an 8-week contingency management trial. Participants were categorized as responders (n=17; no methamphetamine-positive urine tests) or non-responders (n=13; >1 positive test). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare scores in participants with MUD and healthy controls, and in responders versus non-responders.ResultsParticipants withMUD performed worse than controls on the CPT (d-prime) (p=0.012); non-responders performed worse than responders (p = 0.034). Performance of MUD participants did not differ significantly from controls on the Trail Making Task B (time to completion), but variation was high with non-responders performing worse than responders (p=0.013).ConclusionThese findings suggest that tests of executive function at baseline may be useful in predicting treatment response in MUD. Future work in larger samples may ultimately allow a more personalized treatment approach to methamphetamine use disorder.

Background Executive function is a concept for higher-order cognitive functions, which have the role of controller and modulator of cognitive abilities. The consensus in the literature is that people with an intellectual disability perform significantly lower on executive function tasks than groups matched on chronological age. The comparison with groups matched on mental age is less clear. Therefore, the objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate to what extent executive function is impaired in people with intellectual disability compared with a typically developing control group matched on mental age. It was also investigated if the executive function component and intellectual disability aetiology moderated the effect. Methods Eligibility criteria were participants with intellectual disability (IQ <= 75) without a dual diagnosis; a comparison group matched on mental age; executive function outcome reported in a group comparison study design with n >= 10. Working memory tasks and ratings of executive function were not included. The literature search yielded 6637 potentially interesting articles. Twenty-six studies (with 99 effect sizes) including 1395 participants were included in the quantitative synthesis. Results A multilevel random-effects meta-analysis found that people with intellectual disability performed statistically significantly lower than the mental age-matched group on the executive function tasks, g = -0.34, 95% confidence interval = [-0.53, -0.16]. However, the heterogeneity between effect sizes was large. The intellectual disability aetiology moderator was significant, but it only reduced the heterogeneity marginally. Conclusion The overall conclusion is that individuals with an intellectual disability have more problems with executive function tasks than mental age-matched controls. Limitations are the large unexplained variance and the remarkably high number (69) of different tests that were used, which make more detailed c, Funding Agencies|Projekt DEAL

Evidence accumulated to date suggests that excess weight in the adult population is associated with a wide range of impairments in executive function. However, most studies have only examined the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the cognitive function of individuals with overweight and obesity. This study examined the potential associations of markers of adiposity (BMI, body fat, and visceral fat) with five domains of executive function including cognitive flexibility, inhibition, monitoring, planning, and working memory in a sample of 87 adult with overweight (n = 34) and obesity (n = 53). The results show that obese people had poorer working memory than those with overweight. After controlling for educational levels and physical activity, the results suggest that neither the waist–hip index not visceral fat were associated with cognitive function. In overweight, body fat was negatively associated with executive components of inhibition (p = 0.05) and monitoring (p = 0.02). In the obesity subgroup, body fat was negatively associated with inhibition (0.02) and working memory (0.04). The results provide evidence of the importance of adiposity for cognitive function. The implications for understanding the influence of markers of adiposity in adults with overweight and obesity are discussed.

Background: Neuropsychological alterations can lead to inaccurate perception, interpretation, and response to environmental information, which could be a risk factor for suicide. Methods: Ninety-six subjects were recruited from the Psychiatry Department of the Araba University Hospital-Santiago, including 20 patients with a recent attempt and diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-V, 33 MDD patients with history of attempted suicide, 23 non-attempter MDD patients, and 20 healthy controls. All participants underwent a clinical interview and neuropsychological assessment on the following cognitive domains: working memory, processing speed, decision-making, executive function, and attention. Backward multiple regressions were performed adjusting for significant confounding variables. For group comparisons, ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were performed with a p < 0.05 significance level. Results: The patient groups did not differ regarding severity of depression and stressful events in the last 6 months. In comparison to healthy controls, depressed patients with lifetime suicide attempts had more general trauma (p = 0.003), emotional abuse (p = 0.003), emotional negligence (p = 0.006), and physical negligence (p = 0.009), and depressed patients with recent suicide attempts had experienced more child sexual abuse (p = 0.038). Regarding neuropsychological assessment, all patient groups performed significantly worse than did healthy controls in processing speed, decision-making, and attention. Comparisons between patient groups indicated that recent suicide attempters had poorer performance on executive function in comparison to both depressed lifetime attempters and depressed non-attempters (B = 0.296, p = 0.019, and B = 0.301, p = 0.028, respectively). Besides, women with recent attempts had slightly better scores on executive function than males. Regarding the rest of the cognitive domains, there were no significant differences between groups

Using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Longitudinal Study of Health and Well-Being, this study examined high frequency heart rate variability as a longitudinal predictor of cognitive change in key executive function domains: inhibition, shifting, and updating. This study further explored the interactions between HF HRV and important health factors (inflammation, stress, sleep, and mood and anxiety) in predicting executive function decline. The results of this investigation demonstrated that while high frequency heart rate variability and inhibition decline were correlated, HF HRV was not a significant predictor of decline in any executive function. However, results did show an interaction effect between HF HRV and depression in predicting inhibition and shifting declines in mid-life adults. Further, main effects of sleep quality and anxiety on inhibition and shifting declines were identified. Implications of these findings as well as limitations and future research directions are discussed.

The present study explored the associations between executive function skills and play ability in toddlers with Down Syndrome (DS). Participants included 79 children with DS (mean age= 38 months; 53% female). Executive function ability was measured via parent report (BRIEF-P) and three child tasks (Memory Tower Task, EF Search Task, and the Persistence Puzzle Task). Play ability was measured via the Structured Play Assessment. Higher diversity of play acts predicted higher working memory ability and planning ability, while higher play level predicted better planning/persistence. Results suggest that play level and diversity of play can predict some aspects of EF (memory, planning, persistence), but not others (inhibition/shift from the Search Task) in this sample of toddlers with Down syndrome. Future research would benefit from larger samples that may address generalizability of study findings. Improving school readiness, as well as social and academic outcomes, in children with DS are critical research targets for this population during this developmental period. The results of this study may inform and support the development of interventions to better target improving these proficiencies.

ObjectivesContingency management is a promising intervention for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD).Impaired executive function may decrease adherence to such treatment, but there are few data on whether impairment in executive function predicts treatment outcomes. We therefore evaluated whether baseline performance on tests of executive function predicted treatment response in a trial of contingency management for MUD.MethodsThirty participants with MUD and 23 healthy controls performed the Connors Continuous Performance Task (CPT) and the Trail Making Task. MUD participants then entered an 8-week contingency management trial. Participants were categorized as responders (n=17; no methamphetamine-positive urine tests) or non-responders (n=13; >1 positive test). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare scores in participants with MUD and healthy controls, and in responders versus non-responders.ResultsParticipants withMUD performed worse than controls on the CPT (d-prime) (p=0.012); non-responders performed worse than responders (p = 0.034). Performance of MUD participants did not differ significantly from controls on the Trail Making Task B (time to completion), but variation was high with non-responders performing worse than responders (p=0.013).ConclusionThese findings suggest that tests of executive function at baseline may be useful in predicting treatment response in MUD. Future work in larger samples may ultimately allow a more personalized treatment approach to methamphetamine use disorder.

Executive function (EF) is an umbrella term for a collection of important cognitive skills, including working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. These skills are important for both short-term and long-term outcomes such as peer relations, mental and physical health, and academic achievement. Numerous factors influence performance on each of these skills, one of which is experiencing stress. However, how different stressors impact EF across the life span, and how stress-induced impacts on EF are related to other outcomes, is not fully understood. For example, while there is a large body of literature examining the effects of acute stress on adult EF, the literature on this relation in childhood is sparse. The aim of the following studies was to examine how different stressors impact EF and how this process relates to other outcomes, such as academic achievement and mental health. First, longitudinal analyses of the mediating role of executive function in middle childhood (age 7-11) in the relation between early-life family income (age 0-5) and academic achievement in late adolescence (16-18) were examined. These analyses indicated that executive function serves as a mediator in this relation. Second, the effects of an acute experimental stressor on EF performance in 9-11-year-old children were examined, as well as the potential moderating roles of child characteristics such as physiological reactivity and emotional and behavioral problems. There was no overall effect of stress on EF performance but there was a moderating effect of parasympathetic nervous system reactivity in the relation between stress condition and inhibitory control performance. Lastly, the association between COVID-19-related economic stress and both EF and mental health in 9-17-year-old children and their parents was examined. There were no effects of either parental job loss or family financial stress on EF, but family financial stress did predict worse mental health in paren

ObjectiveThe goal was to conduct exploratory analysis to determine if executive functions (EFs) and food responsiveness/satiety responsiveness (appetitive behaviours that describe one's tendency to eat in the presence of food or food cues) interact to influence weight status among preschool children participating in a trial promoting self-regulation around energy-dense foods.MethodsAt baseline, parents completed the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool and the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Children completed anthropometric measurements at the preschool. Spearman's correlation, linear regression, and tests of interaction were conducted. The relationship between weight status and EFs among those who were high vs low in food responsiveness and satiety responsiveness was examined.ResultsChildren (n = 92) had a mean age of 5.1 years and body mass index (BMI) percentile of 57.6; half (54%) were male. There were significant correlations between food responsiveness and several EFs (emotional control, inhibitory control, working memory, and plan/organize). In the stratified analysis, children with high food responsiveness or low satiety responsiveness had higher BMI percentiles as emotional control skills worsened. BMI percentiles were not elevated among children with low food responsiveness and poor emotional control.ConclusionThese results suggest that EFs may be more relevant to weight status if preschool children had high levels of food responsiveness or low levels of satiety responsiveness (ie, increased tendency to be influenced by environmental food cues). This analysis should be replicated with direct measures of executive function and appetitive behaviours in larger samples of young children to examine longitudinal impact on weight status.

Evidence accumulated to date suggests that excess weight in the adult population is associated with a wide range of impairments in executive function. However, most studies have only examined the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the cognitive function of individuals with overweight and obesity. This study examined the potential associations of markers of adiposity (BMI, body fat, and visceral fat) with five domains of executive function including cognitive flexibility, inhibition, monitoring, planning, and working memory in a sample of 87 adult with overweight (n = 34) and obesity (n = 53). The results show that obese people had poorer working memory than those with overweight. After controlling for educational levels and physical activity, the results suggest that neither the waist–hip index not visceral fat were associated with cognitive function. In overweight, body fat was negatively associated with executive components of inhibition (p = 0.05) and monitoring (p = 0.02). In the obesity subgroup, body fat was negatively associated with inhibition (0.02) and working memory (0.04). The results provide evidence of the importance of adiposity for cognitive function. The implications for understanding the influence of markers of adiposity in adults with overweight and obesity are discussed.

Background: Neuropsychological alterations can lead to inaccurate perception, interpretation, and response to environmental information, which could be a risk factor for suicide. Methods: Ninety-six subjects were recruited from the Psychiatry Department of the Araba University Hospital-Santiago, including 20 patients with a recent attempt and diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-V, 33 MDD patients with history of attempted suicide, 23 non-attempter MDD patients, and 20 healthy controls. All participants underwent a clinical interview and neuropsychological assessment on the following cognitive domains: working memory, processing speed, decision-making, executive function, and attention. Backward multiple regressions were performed adjusting for significant confounding variables. For group comparisons, ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were performed with a p < 0.05 significance level. Results: The patient groups did not differ regarding severity of depression and stressful events in the last 6 months. In comparison to healthy controls, depressed patients with lifetime suicide attempts had more general trauma (p = 0.003), emotional abuse (p = 0.003), emotional negligence (p = 0.006), and physical negligence (p = 0.009), and depressed patients with recent suicide attempts had experienced more child sexual abuse (p = 0.038). Regarding neuropsychological assessment, all patient groups performed significantly worse than did healthy controls in processing speed, decision-making, and attention. Comparisons between patient groups indicated that recent suicide attempters had poorer performance on executive function in comparison to both depressed lifetime attempters and depressed non-attempters (B = 0.296, p = 0.019, and B = 0.301, p = 0.028, respectively). Besides, women with recent attempts had slightly better scores on executive function than males. Regarding the rest of the cognitive domains, there were no significant differences between groups

Cognitive impairments in bipolar disorder (BD) are prevalent but effective treatments with replicated and lasting pro-cognitive effects are lacking. Treatment development is hampered by a lack of neurocircuitry biomarkers to predict treatment efficacy. Action-Based Cognitive Remediation (ABCR) improves executive function in BD and this was accompanied by increased dorsal prefrontal cortex (dPFC) response during working memory (WM) after two weeks of treatment. This study investigated whether pre-treatment WM-related dPFC response, executive dysfunction and/or subjective cognitive difficulties predicted ABCR treatment response on executive functions. Forty-five patients with fully or partially remitted BD (ABCR: n = 25, control treatment: n = 20) in our ABCR trial completed a spatial N-back WM task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at baseline. Patients also completed neuropsychological tests and rated their cognitive functions before and after 10 weeks of ABCR or control treatment. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess whether pre-treatment dPFC response, objective executive impairment and/or subjective cognitive difficulties predicted greater ABCR-related improvements of executive function. We found that treatment-related improvement in executive function was predicted by more WM-related dPFC hypo-activity at baseline (p = 0.03) in linear regression analyses adjusted for age, gender and education. In contrast, there was only a non-significant trend towards more executive dysfunction at baseline predicting greater ABCR-related executive improvement (p = 0.08). Subjective cognitive difficulties at baseline showed no association with treatment effects (p = 0.16). In conclusion, pre-treatment dPFC hypo-activity during WM performance predicts greater effects of ABCR treatment on executive function and may represent a neurocircuitry biomarker for treatment efficacy in this cognitive domain.

The current state of label conventions used to describe brain networks related to executive functions is highly inconsistent, leading to confusion among researchers regarding network labels. Visually similar networks are referred to by different labels, yet these same labels are used to distinguish networks within studies. We performed a literature review of fMRI studies and identified nine frequently-used labels that are used to describe topographically or functionally similar neural networks: central executive network (CEN), cognitive control network (CCN), dorsal attention network (DAN), executive control network (ECN), executive network (EN), frontoparietal network (FPN), working memory network (WMN), task positive network (TPN), and ventral attention network (VAN). Our aim was to meta-analytically determine consistency of network topography within and across these labels. We hypothesized finding considerable overlap in the spatial topography among the neural networks associated with these labels. An image-based meta-analysis was performed on 158 group-level statistical maps (SPMs) received from authors of 69 papers listed on PubMed. Our results indicated that there was very little consistency in the SPMs labeled with a given network name. We identified four clusters of SPMs representing four spatially distinct executive function networks. We provide recommendations regarding label nomenclature and propose that authors looking to assign labels to executive function networks adopt this template set for labeling networks., Funding Agencies|NSFNational Science Foundation (NSF) [1631325]; NIHUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA [R01 DA041353]

Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect, and patients are at risk for neurodevelopmental impairment and brain abnormalities. Yet, little is known about the link between brain volumes and cognitive function in adults with congenital heart disease. Forty-four patients and 53 controls between 18 and 32 years underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive testing, assessed with an intelligence quotient and executive function global score. Associations between brain volumes and cognitive function were calculated using linear models. Cognitive function in patients was within the normal range (intelligence quotient: 97.74 (10.76)). Total brain volume was significantly smaller in patients compared to controls (1067.26 (113.53) vs 1113.04 (97.88) cm3, P < 0.01), irrespective of cardiac factors (heart defect complexity, cyanosis, cardiopulmonary bypass: all P > 0.4). After adjusting for total brain volume, only corpus callosum volume remained significantly smaller (P = 0.03). Smaller total brain volume was associated with poorer overall executive functioning (P = 0.02) and inhibition (P < 0.01), in both patients and controls. The association between total brain volume and overall executive functioning was moderated by parental socioeconomic status (lower socioeconomic status was associated with a stronger association between brain volume and EF; interaction P = 0.03). In adults with congenital heart disease, despite normal intelligence quotient, brain volume alterations persist into adulthood and are related to executive functioning, in particular inhibitory control. Adults coming from low socioeconomic background and with altered brain volumes are especially vulnerable and should thus be followed-up during adulthood to ensure optimal social and educational support. Keywords: ACHD; Brain imaging; Brain volume; Congenital heart disease; Executive function.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether correction for prematurity affects executive function scores in school-aged children born very preterm. STUDY DESIGN Executive functions were assessed with standardized neuropsychological tests in 142 children born very preterm (born at ≤32 weeks of gestational age or with a birth weight of ≤1500 g) and 391 control children, aged 7-13 years. Four-month age bands were established from the data of control children. Differences between uncorrected and corrected scores were compared against zero difference and between very preterm children born before and after 28 weeks of gestation. Regression models were used to compare the uncorrected and corrected scores of children born very preterm with control children. RESULTS For all executive functions, significant, larger-than-zero differences between uncorrected and corrected scores were apparent in children born very preterm. Mean differences ranged from 0.04 to 0.18 SDs. Weak evidence was found that the effect of age correction is more pronounced in very preterm children born before 28 weeks of gestation than in those born after 28 weeks. Differences in executive function scores between children born very preterm and control children were attenuated if scores were corrected for prematurity. CONCLUSIONS Test scores based on corrected rather than uncorrected age may more accurately determine the developmental stage of very preterm children's executive functions at school age. Potential consequences for clinical and research practice need to be discussed in the future.

Intensive mothering (IM) is increasingly being recognized as a dominant parenting discourse. IM, conceptualized as hyper-parenting ideals that place pressure on mothers to cultivate children's cognitive development, has also been demonstrated to have consequences for mothers' mental wellbeing. On the other hand, IM attitudes also appear to contribute to parenting strategies that can be considered beneficial for young children's developmental growth. Considering these complexities, the present research was grounded in a theoretical framework guided by ecological and risk and resilience theories to test a holistic model which positioned IM as having indirect associations with children's executive functioning (EF) through two pathways: positive parenting strategies and parenting stress. Contrary to the theoretical purposes of IM-informed parenting, IM did not contribute to better cognitive outcomes in 3–5-year-old children through positive parenting. Instead, IM indirectly contributed to higher reports of dysfunctions in children's EF through the mechanism of parenting stress. Further, a conditional process model advanced previous understandings of IM by illuminating the processes through which cumulative risk strengthened the associations between these core constructs. Based on the results presented in this research, IM ideology is argued to be a context of risk for families with an accumulation of contextual risk factors.

Despite a 100-year-old history and the existence of schools in nearly every country in the world, Waldorf education is a little known and poorly understood educational model that was developed in Europe by Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner. For many years it existed in the United States in the form of private schools. Few of their teachers or administrators were interested in the opinions of others regarding the effectiveness of their pedagogy. As Waldorf-inspired charter schools have grown across the U.S., there is a greater need to understand the system. The Waldorf curriculum was created by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner who was a contemporary of John Dewey and Maria Montessori, and who shared their belief in the advantages of active learning. Yet Steiner was unique among his contemporaries in his focus on an artistic approach to learning. Using interviews, observations, and student work, I identify the beliefs that Waldorf teachers hold around the idea of what it means to be a teacher and then describe the ways in which their beliefs influence the integration of the arts in the literacy curriculum. Interviews confirmed previous research asserting that the Waldorf pedagogy is understood by its teachers in a consistent way across wholly independent schools. All three teachers shared a common understanding of child development, as well as a wholistic view of teaching and learning. Their beliefs centered around three ideas: first, that each child develops at their own pace, second, that academic achievement is not superior to physical, social, or behavioral achievement, and third, that focusing on foundational skills in grades one through three was one of the most important ways they could affect academic achievement. The teachers saw it as their role to a) be a guide and authority who b) strove to “see” the students in front of them, and c) worked reflectively to improve themselves as teachers. Their beliefs in the wholistic nature of learning led them to a

Background: One of the COVID-19 pandemic consequences that has affected families the most is school lockdowns. Some studies have shown that distance learning has been especially challenging for families with a child with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or ASD. However, previous studies have not taken the heterogeneity of these disorders into account. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate differences between families with a child with ADHD, ASD, or both conditions, and to examine the role of underlying deficits in executive functioning (EF) in both children and parents in relation to negative and positive effects of distance learning. Methods: Survey data assessing both negative and positive experiences of distance learning were collected from parents with a child aged 5-19 years in seven Western European countries: the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium. Altogether, the study included 1010 families with a child with ADHD and/or ASD and an equally large comparison group of families with a child without mental health problems. We included measures of three different types of negative effects (i.e., effects on the child, effects on the parent, and lack of support from school) and positive effects on the family. Results: Results confirmed that families with a child with ADHD, ASD or a combination of ADHD and ASD showed higher levels of both negative and positive effects of distance learning than the comparison group. However, few differences were found between the clinical groups. Group differences were more pronounced for older compared to younger children. Regarding the role of both ADHD/ASD diagnosis and EF deficits, primarily children's EF deficits contributed to high levels of negative effects. Parent EF deficits did not contribute significantly beyond the influence of child EF deficits. Families of children with ADHD/ASD without EF deficits experienced the highest levels of positive effects. Conclusions: S

Background: One of the COVID-19 pandemic consequences that has affected families the most is school lockdowns. Some studies have shown that distance learning has been especially challenging for families with a child with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or ASD. However, previous studies have not taken the heterogeneity of these disorders into account. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate differences between families with a child with ADHD, ASD, or both conditions, and to examine the role of underlying deficits in executive functioning (EF) in both children and parents in relation to negative and positive effects of distance learning. Methods: Survey data assessing both negative and positive experiences of distance learning were collected from parents with a child aged 5-19 years in seven Western European countries: the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium. Altogether, the study included 1010 families with a child with ADHD and/or ASD and an equally large comparison group of families with a child without mental health problems. We included measures of three different types of negative effects (i.e., effects on the child, effects on the parent, and lack of support from school) and positive effects on the family. Results: Results confirmed that families with a child with ADHD, ASD or a combination of ADHD and ASD showed higher levels of both negative and positive effects of distance learning than the comparison group. However, few differences were found between the clinical groups. Group differences were more pronounced for older compared to younger children. Regarding the role of both ADHD/ASD diagnosis and EF deficits, primarily children's EF deficits contributed to high levels of negative effects. Parent EF deficits did not contribute significantly beyond the influence of child EF deficits. Families of children with ADHD/ASD without EF deficits experienced the highest levels of positive effects. Conclusions: S

Background: One of the COVID-19 pandemic consequences that has affected families the most is school lockdowns. Some studies have shown that distance learning has been especially challenging for families with a child with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or ASD. However, previous studies have not taken the heterogeneity of these disorders into account. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate differences between families with a child with ADHD, ASD, or both conditions, and to examine the role of underlying deficits in executive functioning (EF) in both children and parents in relation to negative and positive effects of distance learning. Methods: Survey data assessing both negative and positive experiences of distance learning were collected from parents with a child aged 5-19 years in seven Western European countries: the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium. Altogether, the study included 1010 families with a child with ADHD and/or ASD and an equally large comparison group of families with a child without mental health problems. We included measures of three different types of negative effects (i.e., effects on the child, effects on the parent, and lack of support from school) and positive effects on the family. Results: Results confirmed that families with a child with ADHD, ASD or a combination of ADHD and ASD showed higher levels of both negative and positive effects of distance learning than the comparison group. However, few differences were found between the clinical groups. Group differences were more pronounced for older compared to younger children. Regarding the role of both ADHD/ASD diagnosis and EF deficits, primarily children's EF deficits contributed to high levels of negative effects. Parent EF deficits did not contribute significantly beyond the influence of child EF deficits. Families of children with ADHD/ASD without EF deficits experienced the highest levels of positive effects. Conclusions: S

Background: One of the COVID-19 pandemic consequences that has affected families the most is school lockdowns. Some studies have shown that distance learning has been especially challenging for families with a child with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or ASD. However, previous studies have not taken the heterogeneity of these disorders into account. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate differences between families with a child with ADHD, ASD, or both conditions, and to examine the role of underlying deficits in executive functioning (EF) in both children and parents in relation to negative and positive effects of distance learning. Methods: Survey data assessing both negative and positive experiences of distance learning were collected from parents with a child aged 5-19 years in seven Western European countries: the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium. Altogether, the study included 1010 families with a child with ADHD and/or ASD and an equally large comparison group of families with a child without mental health problems. We included measures of three different types of negative effects (i.e., effects on the child, effects on the parent, and lack of support from school) and positive effects on the family. Results: Results confirmed that families with a child with ADHD, ASD or a combination of ADHD and ASD showed higher levels of both negative and positive effects of distance learning than the comparison group. However, few differences were found between the clinical groups. Group differences were more pronounced for older compared to younger children. Regarding the role of both ADHD/ASD diagnosis and EF deficits, primarily children's EF deficits contributed to high levels of negative effects. Parent EF deficits did not contribute significantly beyond the influence of child EF deficits. Families of children with ADHD/ASD without EF deficits experienced the highest levels of positive effects. Conclusions: S

Systems neuroscience approaches with a focus on large-scale brain organization and network analysis are advancing foundational knowledge of how cognitive control processes are implemented in the brain. Over the past decade, technological and computational innovations in the study of brain connectivity have led to advances in our understanding of how brain networks function, inspiring new conceptualizations of the role of prefrontal cortex (PFC) networks in the coordination of cognitive control. In this review, we describe six key PFC networks involved in cognitive control and elucidate key principles relevant for understanding how these networks implement cognitive control. Implementation of cognitive control in a constantly changing environment depends on the dynamic and flexible organization of PFC networks. In this context, we describe major empirical and theoretical models that have emerged in recent years and describe how their functional architecture and dynamic organization supports flexible cognitive control. We take an overarching view of advances made in the past few decades and consider fundamental issues regarding PFC network function, global brain dynamics, and cognition that still need to be resolved. We conclude by clarifying important future directions for research on cognitive control and their implications for advancing our understanding of PFC networks in brain disorders.

Intensive mothering (IM) is increasingly being recognized as a dominant parenting discourse. IM, conceptualized as hyper-parenting ideals that place pressure on mothers to cultivate children's cognitive development, has also been demonstrated to have consequences for mothers' mental wellbeing. On the other hand, IM attitudes also appear to contribute to parenting strategies that can be considered beneficial for young children's developmental growth. Considering these complexities, the present research was grounded in a theoretical framework guided by ecological and risk and resilience theories to test a holistic model which positioned IM as having indirect associations with children's executive functioning (EF) through two pathways: positive parenting strategies and parenting stress. Contrary to the theoretical purposes of IM-informed parenting, IM did not contribute to better cognitive outcomes in 3–5-year-old children through positive parenting. Instead, IM indirectly contributed to higher reports of dysfunctions in children's EF through the mechanism of parenting stress. Further, a conditional process model advanced previous understandings of IM by illuminating the processes through which cumulative risk strengthened the associations between these core constructs. Based on the results presented in this research, IM ideology is argued to be a context of risk for families with an accumulation of contextual risk factors.

Background: One of the COVID-19 pandemic consequences that has affected families the most is school lockdowns. Some studies have shown that distance learning has been especially challenging for families with a child with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or ASD. However, previous studies have not taken the heterogeneity of these disorders into account. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate differences between families with a child with ADHD, ASD, or both conditions, and to examine the role of underlying deficits in executive functioning (EF) in both children and parents in relation to negative and positive effects of distance learning. Methods: Survey data assessing both negative and positive experiences of distance learning were collected from parents with a child aged 5-19 years in seven Western European countries: the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium. Altogether, the study included 1010 families with a child with ADHD and/or ASD and an equally large comparison group of families with a child without mental health problems. We included measures of three different types of negative effects (i.e., effects on the child, effects on the parent, and lack of support from school) and positive effects on the family. Results: Results confirmed that families with a child with ADHD, ASD or a combination of ADHD and ASD showed higher levels of both negative and positive effects of distance learning than the comparison group. However, few differences were found between the clinical groups. Group differences were more pronounced for older compared to younger children. Regarding the role of both ADHD/ASD diagnosis and EF deficits, primarily children's EF deficits contributed to high levels of negative effects. Parent EF deficits did not contribute significantly beyond the influence of child EF deficits. Families of children with ADHD/ASD without EF deficits experienced the highest levels of positive effects. Conclusions: S

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about patients' executive function is important in the rehabilitation of language and communication in stroke patients with aphasia. Due to linguistic demands, most neuropsychological tests are unsuitable for this population, and it might seem appealing to use informant report of executive function as a substitute. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between scores on a neuropsychological test and informant ratings of executive function, as well as between the informant ratings and the functional communication ability, in people with severe aphasia after stroke. METHODS: Thirty-eight people with severe aphasia and their significant others participated. Executive function was tested with parts of the neuropsychological screening instrument CLQT and rated by significant others (informants) using BRIEF-A. Functional communication was assessed with a standardised test and rated by significant others. RESULTS: Results revealed few correlations between CLQT and BRIEF-A. There was no correlation between informant scores on BRIEF-A and scores on the measures of functional communication. CONCLUSIONS: Informant ratings of executive function does not measure the same construct as, and cannot be used as a substitute for, standardised neuropsychological tests. Informant ratings of executive function do not provide information that is relevant to the understanding of functional communication in people with severe aphasia.

Executive function is defined as a set of cognitive skills that are necessary to plan, monitor, and execute a sequence of goal-directed complex actions. Executive function is influenced by a variety of factors, including habitual sleep duration and diabetes. In the present study, we investigated in 18,769 Swedish adults (mean age: 61 y) the association between executive function, diabetes, and self-reported sleep duration. We observed a significant interaction between diabetes and sleep duration for the Trail Making Test (TMT) ratio (P < 0.01). This ratio is a measure of executive function where higher values indicate worse performance. Among diabetic participants (n = 1,523), long (defined as ≥9 h per day) vs. normal sleep duration (defined as 7-8 hours per day) was associated with a higher TMT ratio (P < 0.05). Similar significant results were observed in diabetic individuals without pharmacological treatment for diabetes (n = 1,062). Among non-diabetic participants (n = 17,246), no association between long sleep duration and the TMT ratio was observed (P > 0.05). Instead, short (defined as <7 h per day) vs. normal sleep duration was linked to a higher TMT ratio (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the association between sleep duration and executive function differs between diabetic and non-diabetic middle-aged and older adults. Based on the cross-sectional design of the study, no firm conclusions can be drawn on the causality of the relations.