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Executive function (EF) is critical to students' academic behaviors and well-being. Environmental influences, particularly teacher-student interaction (TSI), play a key role in enhancing EF development. Previous studies have linked TSI quality to children's EF, yet the relationships between subdimensions of TSI--such as closeness, conflict, dependency, emotional support, classroom management, and instructional support--and EF outcomes remain unclear. Moreover, it is unclear whether these relations hold true across different cultural contexts. From an initial pool of 14,915 articles, in this meta-analysis, we considered 84 empirical studies across 18 cultural regions, revealing that TSI subdimensions are consistently related to EF with small-to-medium effect sizes. The analysis also identified statistically significant moderating factors, such as individualism, power distance, EF type, EF instrument, and socioeconomic status. Notably, stronger TSI-EF correlations were found among children from cultures with low-individualism and high-power-distance, as well as among children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. These patterns were particularly pronounced in studies measuring hot EF through adult-reported data. This comprehensive meta-analysis bridges knowledge gaps in TSI-EF dynamics, and supporting theories, such as attachment theory, social learning theory, and socio-cultural theory within educational settings. Crucially, it provides cross-cultural perspectives showing how cultural and contextual factors may intertwine with TSI-EF interactions.

There are multivariate influences on the development of children's executive function throughout the lifespan and substantial individual differences can be seen as early as when children are 1 and 2 years of age. These individual differences are moderately stable throughout early childhood, but more research is needed to better understand their origins. To some degree, individual differences in executive function are correlated between mother and child, but no research to date has examined these associations prior to when children are preschool age, nor have any studies considered the role of fathers' and mothers' executive function in tandem. Here, we use a sample of 484 families (Mothers 89.2% white; Fathers 92.5% white) in three countries (UK, USA, Netherlands) to investigate the role of each parents' executive function on the development of children's (49.7% female) executive function from 14 (M = 14.42, SD = 0.57) to 24 (M = 24.47, SD = 0.78) months, as well as parenting practices that underlie these associations. Results of structural equation models suggest stability in some--but not all--components of executive function and growing unity between components as children age. We replicate extant findings such that mothers' executive function predicts children's executive function over and above stability and extend these findings to include associations between father and child skills. We find an additive role of fathers' EF, similar in magnitude to the role of mothers' EF. Finally, for both mothers and fathers we find that sensitivity and autonomy supportive practices mediate the relations between parents' and children's executive function.

Introduction: This study explored treatment of executive functioning impairment in adults after acquired brain injury (ABI), clinician's confidence and support received, in a sample of occupational therapists in the United Kingdom. Methods: A 24-item online questionnaire was sent to 750 members of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist-Section in Neurological Practice. Data was collected at a nominal and ordinal level and included yes/no Likert-type scale and free field comments. Descriptive statistical analysis was completed. Results: Seventy-six occupational therapists working in a range of neurological settings completed the survey. Frequently used interventions included education (n = 57, 75%), task modification (n = 56, 73%), instrumental activities of daily living (ADL) (n = 54, 71%), personal ADL (n = 53, 70%) and goal setting (n = 53, 70%). Seventy-one percent used metacognitive strategies. Occupation-based metacognitive approaches were rarely used. Thirty-one (41%) participants reported being fairly confident and 28 (37%) were very confident. Support for clinical practice was accessed most frequently through joint clinical sessions (n = 30, 39%). Findings: Participants used various clinical interventions to treat service users with executive dysfunction after ABI. Meta-cognitive strategies were employed; however, occupation-based metacognitive approaches were infrequently utilised, suggesting uncertainty in adopting these in practice. The need for further training on evidence-based interventions and knowledge translation support was highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Less is known about complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) than postrraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans, yet this population may be at greater risk of the former diagnosis. Executive function impairment has been linked to PTSD treatment outcomes. The current study therefore aimed to explore possible associations between each CPTSD symptom cluster and executive function to understand if similar treatment trajectories might be observed with the disorder., Methods: A total of 428 veterans from a national charity responded to a self-report questionnaire which measured CPTSD symptom clusters using the International Trauma Questionnaire, and executive function using the Adult Executive Function Inventory. Single and multiple linear regression models were used to analyse the relationship between CPTSD symptom clusters and executive function, including working memory and inhibition., Results: Each CPTSD symptom cluster was significantly associated with higher executive function impairment, even after controlling for possible mental health confounding variables. Emotion dysregulation was the CPTSD symptom cluster most strongly associated with executive function impairment., Conclusions: This is the first study to explore the relationship between executive function and CPTSD symptom clusters. The study builds on previous findings and suggests that executive function could be relevant to CPTSD treatment trajectories, as is the case with PTSD alone. Future research should further explore such clinical implications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

High-quality, centre-based education and care during the early years benefit cognitive development, especially in children from disadvantaged backgrounds. During the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns, access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) was disrupted. We investigate how this period affected the developmental advantages typically offered by ECEC. Using parent-report data from 189 families living in the UK, we explore associations between time spent in ECEC by 8-to-36-month-olds, their socioeconomic background, and their growth in language and executive functions between Spring and Winter 2020. Receptive vocabulary growth was greater in children who continued to attend ECEC during the period, with a stronger positive effect for children from less advantaged backgrounds. The growth of cognitive executive functions (CEFs) was boosted by ECEC attendance during the period, regardless of socioeconomic background. Our findings highlight the importance of high-quality ECEC for the development of key skills and for levelling socioeconomic inequalities.

This study examines the validity of the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D‐KEFS) in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) population compared to participants with orthopaedic injuries and normative controls. The utility of the D‐KEFS was examined using a between groups design. One hundred patients with mild uncomplicated to severe TBI were recruited from a consecutive cohort of patients admitted as inpatients to a UK Major Trauma Centre and compared to 823 participants from the D‐KEFS normative sample and 26 participants with orthopaedic injuries. Data were filtered for performance validity. Sample discrimination was calculated from D‐KEFS subtest scores and derived index scores. Sensitivity to TBI severity was established. The TBI participants performed significantly lower on the D‐KEFS Trail Making Test, Colour Word Interference, Colour Word Switching, Letter Fluency and Verbal Fluency Category Switching Total Words Correct. The D‐KEFS index scores discriminated between TBI, orthopaedic and normative participants with large and moderate effect sizes, respectively. The D‐KEFS demonstrated a dose–response relationship with TBI severity. These effects were robust to differences in premorbid intellectual functioning; however, D‐KEFS performance was sensitive to performance on tests of mental processing speed. The use of a D‐KEFS index score provides a robust and reliable discrimination of TBI patients from healthy control participants. This discrimination is not accounted for by premorbid intellect or the non‐specific effects of trauma. The clinical and conceptual implications of these findings are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Visual hallucinations (VH) have a significant impact on quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease (PD). A major reason for this is the well-established link with cognitive impairment, but there is still a need for more longitudinal studies examining the specific cognitive domains which may be affected. The aim of this study was to profile decline in cognition associated with VH in a cohort of 69 individuals with PD over 1 year., Method: Visual hallucinations assessments were carried out every 3 months. Executive function and episodic memory were assessed at baseline and 1 year. All evaluations were performed via phone interviews. The presence or absence of VH was categorized based on the entirety of the year's data (i.e., no episodes and >0 episodes). We also defined a persistent VH group who had VH present at more than one time point and compared these with a no-VH group and a group with transient VH (i.e., only one episode)., Results: Linear mixed-effect models showed that VH were associated with more rapid overall cognitive decline (-0.26, t = -2.39, p = .02), which was driven by executive function (-0.28, t = -2.48, p = .02). Persistent VH were associated with decline in executive function (-0.33, t = -2.4, p = .02), while no relationship was found for non-persistent VH, suggesting that persistent VH be the major driver of this relationship., Conclusion: This finding brings greater clarity to the relationship between cognitive decline and VH in PD. Future research should examine the robustness of this phenotype for biomarkers studies and treatment interventions., (© 2018 The British Psychological Society.)

The vast majority of studies on theory of mind (ToM) have focused on the preschool years. Extending the developmental scope of ToM research presents opportunities to both reassess theoretical accounts of ToM and test its predictive utility. The twin aims of this longitudinal study were to examine developmental relations between ToM, executive function (EF), and teacher-rated social competence in middle childhood. One hundred thirty-seven children (69 males) were followed across a 4-year period spanning middle childhood (M ages at Waves 1 and 2 = 6.05, SD = 0.35, and 10.81, SD = 0.35, respectively). Individual differences in ToM were moderately stable across middle childhood. Although there were concurrent associations between ToM and EF at both time points, there were no longitudinal links between these constructs. In contrast, there were concurrent and longitudinal links between ToM and teacher-rated social competence, such that individual differences in ToM predicted later social competence at school. These results are discussed in light of competing theories about the links between ToM and EF and the importance of individual differences in ToM for children's social lives.

Background: Elucidating risk pathways for under-achieving at school can inform strategies to reduce the number of adolescents leaving school without passing grades in core subjects. Maternal depression can compromise the quality of parental care and is associated with multiple negative child outcomes. However, only a few small studies have investigated the association between perinatal maternal depression and poor academic achievement in adolescence. The pathways to explain the risks are also unclear. Method: Prospective observational data from 5,801 parents and adolescents taking part in a large UK population cohort (Avon-Longitudinal-Study-of-Parents-and-Children) were used to test associations between maternal and paternal depression and anxiety in the perinatal period, executive function (EF) at age 8, and academic achievement at the end of compulsory school at age 16. Results: Adolescents of postnatally depressed mothers were 1.5 times (1.19, 1.94, p = 0.001) as likely as adolescents of nondepressed mothers to fail to achieve a "pass" grade in math; antenatal anxiety was also an independent predictor of poor math. Disruption in different components of EF explained small but significant proportions of these associations: attentional control explained 16% (4%, 27%, p < 0.001) of the association with postnatal depression, and working memory explained 17% (13%, 30%, p = 0.003) of the association with antenatal anxiety. A similar pattern was seen for language grades, but associations were confounded by maternal education. There was no evidence that paternal factors were independently associated with impaired child EF or adolescent exams. Conclusion: Maternal postnatal depression and antenatal anxiety are risk factors for adolescents underachieving in math. Preventing, identifying, and treating maternal mental health in the perinatal period could, therefore, potentially increase adolescents' academic achievement. Different aspects of EF partially mediated these associations. Further work is needed, but if these pathways are causal, improving EF could reduce underachievement in math.

Most studies regarding the relationship between multilingualism and cognitive control reduce linguistic diversity to a dichotomous comparison, viz., monolinguals vs. bilinguals, failing to capture the multifactorial nature of multilingualism. Language research is largely restricted to the Global North, albeit most of the world's population resides in the Global South, limiting the interpretability of the existing literature. Cognitive performance is assessed using very few tasks, yielding unreliable measurements. In this study, we identify the manner in which multilingual experiences influence cognitive performance in diverse sociolinguistic contexts. Young adults from the UK (n = 51, mean age = 24.0, SD = 3.18) and Singapore (n = 36, mean age = 21.3, SD = 2.15) were tested using an extensive battery of cognitive tasks, including cognitive flexibility (CF), working memory (WM), inhibition, and structure learning (SL). Information on language proficiency, use, age of acquisition, and frequency of switching was collected. The effects of various linguistic factors on the cognitive performance of each group were assessed using multiple linear regression models. The UK and Singapore samples exhibited significantly different linguistic profiles, which in turn dissimilarly influenced their cognitive performance. Our study underscores the necessity for more research in the Global South, challenging the prevailing Northern-centric focus on the multilingualism–cognition relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports feasibility, fidelity and acceptability of a pilot of START; a 12-week parent-toddler, group-based, neurodiversity-affirming programme aiming to support executive function development in toddlers at elevated likelihood of autism or ADHD. After 4 days' training, community early years practitioner pairs delivered START to 13 UK families with a toddler showing elevated autistic traits, or with a parent or sibling with autism or ADHD, in groups of 6 and 7. Sessions were audio-recorded and rated by practitioners and researchers regarding the extent to which programme and session aims were met. Practitioners' reflections on strengths and challenges in session delivery, adaptations to the session plan and researchers' observations from the audio recordings were probed in weekly debrief calls, and one-to-one interviews at programme end-point. Recruitment and retention were monitored. Parent participants were asked to complete a feedback questionnaire after each session. Results show recruitment to the programme is feasible, but a large minority of parents experience barriers to regular attendance, which is a challenge for achieving exposure targets. Practitioners delivered the programme to a high quality and at least partially met programme and session-specific aims in every session. The most significant barrier to fully meeting session aims was families' late arrival. Parents reported regularly engaging with the suggested activities at home and found the sessions useful, although not all parents responded each week. Overall, the results of this small-scale pilot indicate START is feasible and acceptable as a parent-mediated programme to support toddlers at elevated likelihood of autism or ADHD to thrive.

Childhood adversity and adulthood adversity affect cognition later in life. However, the mechanism through which adversity exerts these effects on cognition remains under-researched. We aimed to investigate if the effect of adversity on cognition was mediated by distress or neuroticism. The UK Biobank is a large, population-based, cohort study designed to investigate risk factors of cognitive health. Here, data were analysed using a cross-sectional design. Structural equation models were fitted to the data with childhood adversity or adulthood adversity as independent variables, distress and neuroticism as mediators and executive function and processing speed as latent dependent variables that were derived from the cognitive scores in the UK Biobank. Complete data were available for 64,051 participants in the childhood adversity model and 63,360 participants in the adulthood adversity model. Childhood adversity did not show a direct effect on processing speed. The effect of childhood adversity on executive function was partially mediated by distress and neuroticism. The effects of adulthood adversity on executive function and processing speed were both partially mediated by distress and neuroticism. In conclusion, distress and neuroticism mediated the deleterious effect of childhood and adulthood adversity on cognition and may provide a mechanism underlying the deleterious consequences of adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Possession of characteristics related to Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder in children prenatally exposed to alcohol contributes to challenges within the diagnostic pathway for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). The presentation of these characteristics, though problematic for the children affected, may not result in referral for diagnosis; focusing on diagnostic thresholds masks the dimensional nature of these characteristics. Children with traits which are undiagnosed may not receive effective support and are often identified as exhibiting challenging behaviour. In the UK, children with undiagnosed Special Educational Needs (SEN) are more likely to experience school exclusion. Common across each condition are challenges to executive function associated with emotional regulation (hot-executive function). This study explored the relationship between characteristics of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Autistic-Like Traits, and hot executive functions on the helpfulness of reward-based interventions for children with suspected or diagnosed FASD. Data were collected online using caregiver referral questionnaire screeners for each measure (Child Autism Quotient Questionnaire, Vanderbilt ADHD Parental Rating Scale and The Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory) for children aged 6–12 years with suspected or diagnosed FASD (n = 121). Between-group comparisons showed no significant difference in the reporting of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder characteristics, Oppositional Defiance Disorder characteristics, Autistic-Like Traits, and executive function, regardless of diagnostic state. Multiple regression analyses indicated that these personality characteristics and executive functions were associated with the perception of the reward system helpfulness. However, this pattern was qualified by both the type of hot executive function challenged (significant for Regulation not Inhibition) and whether the child had an FASD diagnosis. Thus, a dimensional approach may strengthen our understanding of the child's classroom experience and help overcome barriers to effective intervention and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing cross-cultural findings related to school-aged children's executive function (EF) from studies using computerized tasks highlight both an East-West contrast (East > West) and potential methodological confounds (e.g., contrasting levels of computer fluency). Capitalizing on two recent data sets, this multisite study of 1,311 children living in mainland China (n = 453; M age  = 11.89 years, SD = 0.87), Hong Kong (n = 371; M age  = 12.21 years, SD = 0.99), and the United Kingdom (n = 487; M age  = 11.91 years, SD = 0.93) tested measurement invariance of a computerized EF-task battery prior to investigating cultural contrasts in mean levels of EF efficiency scores. Our models established partial scalar invariance across sites. Latent factor means were substantially lower for British children than for their counterparts from either mainland China or Hong Kong, with a significant but smaller contrast between the latter two groups. Within the Chinese sample, self-reported computer use was unrelated to variation in children's performance on online tests of EF, indicating that peripheral effects of task modality are unlikely to explain the between-culture differences in EF task performance., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The accumulation of age‐associated cognitive deficits can lead to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia. This is a major public health issue for the modern ageing population, as it impairs health, independence and overall quality of life. Keeping the brain active during life has been associated with an increased cognitive reserve, therefore reducing the risk of cognitive impairment in older age. Previous research has identified a potential relationship between musicality and cognition. Objectives: Explore the relationship between musicality and cognitive function in a large cohort of older adults. Methods: This was a nested study within the PROTECT‐UK cohort, which collects longitudinal computerised assessments of cognitive function in adults over 40. Participants were invited to complete the validated Edinburgh Lifetime Musical Experience Questionnaire (ELMEQ) to assess their musical experience and lifetime exposure to music. Linear regression analysis was performed using cognitive data from PROTECT‐UK. Results: Analysis identified an association between musicality and cognition in this cohort. Playing a musical instrument was associated with significantly better performance in working memory and executive function. Significant associations were also found between singing and executive function, and between overall musical ability and working memory. Conclusions: Our findings confirm previous literature, highlighting the potential value of education and engagement in musical activities throughout life as a means of harnessing cognitive reserve as part of a protective lifestyle for brain health. Key points: Playing a musical instrument was associated with significantly better working memory and executive function.Singing and overall musical ability was associated with more favourable cognition.Engagement with musical activities should be considered as part of public health initiatives to promote a protective lifestyle for brain health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been linked to dementia. In this study, we examined the association of MetS with neuroimaging and cognition in dementia-free adults, offering insight into the impact of MetS on brain health prior to dementia onset. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We included 37,395 dementia-free adults from the UK Biobank database. MetS was defined as having at least three of the following components: larger waist circumference; elevated levels of triglycerides, blood pressure, HbA1c; or reduced HDL cholesterol levels. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression was used to assess associations of MetS with structural neuroimaging and cognitive domains. RESULTS: MetS was associated with lower total brain (standardized β: −0.06; 95% CI −0.08, −0.04), gray matter (β: −0.10; 95% CI −0.12, −0.08) and hippocampal (for left side, β: −0.03, 95% CI −0.05, −0.01; for right side, β: −0.04, 95% CI −0.07, −0.02) volumes, and greater white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume (β: 0.08; 95% CI 0.06, 0.11). Study participants with MetS performed poorer on cognitive tests of working memory (β: −0.10; 95% CI −0.13, −0.07), verbal declarative memory (β: −0.08; 95% CI −0.11, −0.05), processing speed (β: −0.06; 95% CI −0.09, −0.04), verbal and numerical reasoning (β: −0.07; 95% CI −0.09, −0.04), nonverbal reasoning (β: −0.03; 95% CI −0.05, −0.01), and on tests of executive function, where higher scores indicated poorer performance (β: 0.05; 95% CI 0.03, 0.08). More MetS components were also associated with less brain volume, greater WMH, and poorer cognition across all domains. CONCLUSIONS: MetS was associated poorer brain health in dementia-free adults, characterized by less brain volume, greater vascular pathology, and poorer cognition. Further research is necessary to understand whether reversal or improvement of MetS can improve brain health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant literature is sparse with regards to the relationship between caregiver reports and neuropsychological tests of executive functioning in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). The goal of this paper was determining the clinical utilities of executive functioning measures used in the United Kingdom national FASD clinic. We examined relationships between outcomes on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), as part of an ongoing service evaluation. Profiles of executive functioning measures were reported in order to contribute to delineating a profile of executive dysfunction in FASD. Caregivers of 49 people with FASD completed the Parent BRIEF, and 61 people with FASD were administered the D-KEFS. Pearson's Correlations between all 11 BRIEF scales and the 18 selected D-KEFS subscales showed little relationship. The BRIEF showed a profile of clinically significant elevations in all three Index scores and seven out of the eight Scale scores. Several D-KEFS tests showed below average executive functioning. Both executive function measures have separate clinical utility in demonstrating executive function deficits in FASD. The sample population used in this study also show a similar pattern to FASD populations internationally, suggesting a similar neuropsychological profile is seen in the United Kingdom. However, caregiver reports display little relationship to neuropsychological tests. These measures likely monitor different aspects of executive functioning in different settings. Future research should focus on identifying tests that better relate findings from clinical settings to behavior in daily life.

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings faced significant disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, compromising the continuity, stability and quality of provision. Three years on from the first UK lockdown as pandemic-era preschoolers enter formal schooling, stakeholders are concerned about the impact of the disruption on children's cognitive and socioemotional development, especially those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Using parent-report data from 171 children aged 5 to 23 months (M = 15 months) in March to June 2020 living in the UK, we investigate whether previously attested positive associations between ECEC attendance and the development of language and executive functions was maintained as early years settings navigated operational challenges over the first full year of the pandemic. In response to concerns about 'school readiness', we analyse the relationship between ECEC attendance and children's communication, problem-solving and personal-social development. ECEC was associated with greater growth in receptive vocabulary over the 12-month period. In children from less advantaged backgrounds, ECEC was also associated with greater growth in expressive vocabulary. Our data suggest a similarly positive association between ECEC attendance and the communication and problem-solving skills of children from less advantaged backgrounds and between ECEC and the personal-social development of all children. Overall, results suggest that ECEC had sustained learning benefits for children growing up during the pandemic despite ongoing disruption to settings, with specific benefits for children from less affluent home environments. As pandemic-era children progress to primary school, we discuss the importance of adapting their learning conditions and adjusting the expectations placed on them.

Objective: The Oxford Cognitive Screen (OCS) is a screening tool to assess stroke patients for deficits in attention, executive functions, language, praxis, numeric cognition, and memory. In this study, the OCS was culturally and linguistically adapted to Tamil, for use in India (OCS TA), considering the differences between formal and spoken versions of Tamil and consideration of its phonetic complexity. Method: We adopted two-parallel form versions of the OCS and generated normative data for them. We recruited 181 healthy controls (Mean = 39.27 years, SD 16.52) (141 completed version A, 40 completed version B, 33 completed version A and B) and compared the data with the original UK normative sample. In addition, 28 native Tamil-speaking patients who had a stroke in the past three years (Mean = 62.76 years, SD 9.14) were assessed. Convergent validity was assessed with subtasks from Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III). Results: We found significant differences between the UK normative group and the OCS TA normative group in age and education. Tamil-specific norms were used to adapt the cutoffs for the memory, gesture imitation, and executive function tasks. When domain-specific scores on the ACE-III were compared, OCS TA exhibited strong convergent validity. Conclusions: The OCS TA has shown the potential to be a useful screening tool for stroke survivors among Tamil speakers with the two-parallel forms demonstrating good equivalence. Further empirical evidence from larger studies is required to establish their psychometric performance and clinical validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep is essential for life, including daily cognitive processes, yet the amount of sleep required for optimal brain health as we grow older is unclear. Poor memory and increased risk of dementia is associated with the extremes of sleep quantity and disruption of other sleep characteristics. We examined sleep and cognitive data from the UK Biobank (N = 479,420) in middle-to-late life healthy individuals (age 38–73 years) and the relationship with brain structure in a sub-group (N = 37,553). Seven hours of sleep per day was associated with the highest cognitive performance which decreased for every hour below and above this sleep duration. This quadratic relationship remained present in older individuals (>60 years, N = 212,006). Individuals who sleep between six-to-eight hours had significantly greater grey matter volume in 46 of 139 different brain regions including the orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampi, precentral gyrus, right frontal pole and cerebellar subfields. Several brain regions showed a quadratic relationship between sleep duration and volume while other regions were smaller only in individuals who slept longer. These findings highlight the important relationship between the modifiable lifestyle factor of sleep duration and cognition as well as a widespread association between sleep and structural brain health. Tai et al. examine sleep, cognitive and brain imaging data from middle-to-late life healthy individuals from the UK Biobank. They show that between six and eight hours of sleep duration is associated with the highest cognitive performance and larger grey matter volume in several areas of the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In residential childcare for youth who have been removed from the birth home as a result of childhood maltreatment, staff are working with after-effects of developmental trauma. Experiencing trauma and neglect at a young age is likely to lead to adaptive alterations in brain development, in part due to over- or under-activation of the body's stress response. As a result, care-experienced children and youth with trauma backgrounds are likely to experience various neurodevelopmental difficulties, including executive function problems. There is a gap in training provision related to executive function in the context of neurodevelopmental trauma and its implications for current behavior, affect and cognition. To conduct a feasibility and acceptability trial of an online training course for residential workers with care-experienced children, focusing on the impact of trauma on the development of executive function. The development of the training and an evaluation of its outcomes are described. Staff working in residential childcare across the UK were invited to participate in an online training and evaluation protocol. Participants completed measures of perceived and actual knowledge before and after training. Completion rates, outcomes data and evaluation feedback was used to assess the acceptability and feasibility of the training, Of 318 initial registrants, 47.7% completed the training and post-training measures. Significant learning gains were found, along with (p <.001, d = 1.08) positive feedback from participants. Technological constraints were the most significant limitation. An online neurodevelopmental trauma training is feasible and acceptable to residential childcare workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal and postpartum depression are highly prevalent worldwide, and emerging evidence suggests they contribute to impairments in children's executive functions. Studies of maternal depression, however, have focused on the postpartum and postnatal periods with relatively less consideration of prenatal influences on child development. This study of the large population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children U.K. cohort estimates latent classes of maternal depression across the prenatal, postpartum, and postnatal periods to capture heterogeneity in the developmental timing and length of maternal depression, as well as to test whether latent classes differ in children's executive function impairments in middle childhood. Repeated measures latent class analysis yielded five groups demonstrating unique patterns of change in maternal depression from pregnancy through early childhood (n = 13,624). Latent classes differed in executive functions at age 8 among a subsample of children (n = 6,870). Children exposed to chronic maternal depression beginning in utero showed the most impairments in inhibitory control while accounting for child sex, verbal IQ, parents' highest education level, and average family income in childhood. The critical roles of the timing and length of children's exposure to maternal depression are discussed in relation to executive function development, prevention, and intervention.

Although Asian preschoolers acquire executive functions (EFs) earlier than their Western counterparts, little is known about whether this advantage persists into later childhood and adulthood. To address this gap, in the current study we gave four computerized EF tasks (providing measures of inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and planning) to a large sample ( n = 1,427) of 9- to 16-year-olds and their parents. All participants lived in either the United Kingdom or Hong Kong. Our findings highlight the importance of combining developmental and cultural perspectives and show both similarities and contrasts across sites. Specifically, adults' EF performance did not differ between the two sites; age-related changes in executive function for both the children and the parents appeared to be culturally invariant, as did a modest intergenerational correlation. In contrast, school-age children and young adolescents in Hong Kong outperformed their United Kingdom counterparts on all four EF tasks, a difference consistent with previous findings from preschool children.

Identifying causal factors to intervene on to delay age‐related declines in cognitive function is urgently needed. We examined associations between non‐exercise testing cardiorespiratory fitness (NETCRF; estimated using sex, age, body mass index, resting heart rate, and physical activity) at 45 years and cognitive function outcomes (immediate and delayed verbal memory; verbal fluency; visual processing speed) at 50 years in 8130 participants from the 1958 British birth cohort. In unadjusted models, higher NETCRF was associated with better cognitive function across all outcomes. When adjusted for confounding factors, associations disappeared. In this cohort, associations between 45 years NETCRF and 50 years cognitive function likely result from confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies with preschoolers have reported "East-West" contrasts in children's executive function (East>West) and theory of mind (East

Aims: Deficits in motor inhibitory control and working memory have been hypothesized to be both a cause and consequence of heavy alcohol use. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage for inhibitory control and working memory, and it is also a stage when individuals are most likely to initiate alcohol use. This study aimed to examine whether inhibitory control and working memory would predict alcohol use and involvement in a group of UK adolescents., Methods: We recruited 220 (N = 178, female) adolescents, aged between 16 and 18, from eight higher education settings in the Merseyside region of the UK. Alcohol use was examined using the Timeline Follow-Back and involvement (and related problems) using the Adolescent Alcohol Involvement Scale. A reward-based inhibitory control task (Go/No-Go) was used to examine the inhibition and reward sensitivity, and a self-ordered pointing task was used to measure working memory., Results: Multiple regression demonstrated that neither inhibitory control (b = 0.02 (95% confidence interval (CI): -0.21, 0.24)) nor working memory (b = -0.12 (95% CI: -0.30, 0.07)) were significant predictors of alcohol use (units consumed). Inhibitory control (b = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.12, 1.09), specifically, in the no reward condition and school deprivation (b = 0.67 (95% CI: 0.06, 1.28) significantly predicted alcohol-related problems., Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated limited evidence that deficits in specific mechanisms of executive functioning (i.e. motor inhibition and working memory) were associated with alcohol-related problems in UK adolescents. This study adds to an increasing body of literature suggesting weak or non-existent links between inhibitory control, working memory and alcohol use., (© The Author(s) 2021. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press.)

This study examined whether set-shifting ability for children with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability would be affected differentially by verbal or nonverbal feedback as the outcome of previous research tentatively suggests that verbal feedback may lead to slower set-shifting. Overall, 56 children participated (42 male; 14 female); 28 with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (24 male) and 28 (21 male) typically developing children matched on cognitive and verbal abilities. Each group was exposed to a set-shifting task using cards varying in three dimensions. One group of typically developing children, and one group of autism spectrum disorder children, received verbal feedback on their performance, and one group received nonverbal feedback. Children with autism spectrum disorder learned an initial categorisation rule as fast as matched typically developing children. There was little difference in the impact of the type of feedback on acquisition. However, on shifting the classification rule, children with autism spectrum disorder showed slower rates of learning the new rule, relative to matched controls, which was worse when verbal feedback was used compared to nonverbal feedback. This finding has implications for the interpretations of set-shifting performance and for classroom use of feedback strategies.

Cognitive control is a predictor of later‐life outcomes and may underpin higher order executive processes. The present study examines the development of early cognitive control during the first 24‐month. We evaluated a tablet‐based assessment of cognitive control among infants aged 18‐ and 24‐month. We also examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between attentional disengagement, general cognitive skills and cognitive control. Participants (N = 60, 30 female) completed the tablet‐task at 18‐ and 24‐month of age. Attentional disengagement and general cognitive development were assessed at 5‐, 8‐, 12‐, 18‐ and 24‐month using an eye‐tracking measure and the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), respectively. The cognitive control task demonstrated good internal consistency, sensitivity to age‐related change in performance and stable individual differences. No associations were found between infant cognitive control and MSEL scores longitudinally or concurrently. The eye‐tracking task revealed that slower attentional disengagement at 8‐month, but faster disengagement at 18‐month, predicted higher cognitive control scores at 24‐month. This task may represent a useful tool for measuring emergent cognitive control. The multifaceted relationship between attention and infant cognitive control suggests that the rapid development of the attentional system in infancy results in distinct attentional skills, at different ages, being relevant for cognitive control development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The benefits of completing household chores appear to transfer beyond managing day‐to‐day living. It is possible that chore engagement may improve executive functions, as engagement in chores require individuals to plan, self‐regulate, switch between tasks, and remember instructions. To date, little research has been conducted on household chores and executive functions in children, for whom these skills are still developing. Methods: Parents and guardians (N = 207) of children aged 5–13 years (M = 9.38, SD = 2.15) were asked to complete parent‐report questionnaires on their child's engagement in household chores and their child's executive functioning. Results: Results of the regression model indicated that engagement in self‐care chores (e.g., making self a meal) and family‐care chores (e.g., making someone else a meal) significantly predicted working memory and inhibition, after controlling for the influence of age, gender, and presence or absence of a disability. For families with a pet, there was no significant relationship between engagement in pet‐care chores and executive function skills. Conclusion: We strongly recommend that further research explore the relationship between chores and executive functions. It is possible that parents may be able to facilitate their child's executive function development through encouraging participation in chores, whereas chore‐based interventions (e.g., cooking programmes) may also be used to target deficits in ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The concept of neurodiversity draws upon scientific research, and lessons from practice and lived experience to suggest new ways of thinking about neurodevelopmental conditions. Among the formative observations are that characteristics associated with neurodevelopmental conditions are part of a "broader phenotype" of variation across the whole population, and that there appear to be "transdiagnostic" similarities as well as differences in these characteristics. These observations raise important questions that have implications for understanding diversity in neurodevelopmental conditions and in neurocognitive phenotypes across the whole population. Method: The present work examines broader phenotypes using seven widely used self‐report assessments of traits associated with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Developmental Coordination Disorder/dyspraxia, tic disorders/Tourette's, cortical hyperexcitability associated with subclinical epilepsy, and sensory sensitivities. A representative sample of 995 adults (aged 17–77) in the UK completed self‐report measures of neurodiversity, wellbeing, generalized anxiety, and depression, and cognitive abilities (nonverbal intelligence and executive functioning). Results: We used confirmatory factor analysis to test whether variation and covariation was better characterized (1) by traditional diagnostic labels, or (2) transdiagnostically according to similarities in functions, behaviours, or phenomena. Results indicated that neurodiversity characteristics were best explained using a bifactor model with one general "N" factor and four condition‐specific factors. Conclusion: This was the largest examination to date of the factor structure of broader phenotypes relevant to neurodevelopmental conditions. It provides critical benchmark data, and a framework approach for asking systematic questions about the structure of neurocognitive diversities seen in the whole population and in people with one or more diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-cultural study compared family environments and performance on theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF) in 236 3- to 6-year-old children in Japan (N = 117, M age = 5.14, SD =0.82, 56 boys and 61 girls) and the UK (N = 119, M age = 5.09, SD =0.86, 55 boys and 64 girls). Matched for age, verbal ability, gender, SES, and family structure (family size, solo vs. dual parenting, no sibling, no older sibling vs. older sibling), Japanese children showed worse ToM but better EF performance, although not across all measures or ages. This study used carefully matched samples and is the first direct comparison of children from Japan and the UK to examine both ToM and EF. Findings are discussed in relation to sociocultural factors (especially variation in the nature of SES across countries) and the complexity of the development of mind in diverse cultural contexts. • First direct comparison of 3 to 6-year-olds from Japan and the UK to examine both theory of mind and executive function. • Japanese children showed worse ToM but better EF performance, although not across all measures or ages. • ToM and EF were significantly interrelated in both Japanese and British children. • Negative relations between SES and time spent with family in UK suggested greater differences between households in UK. • Future assessment of children's socio-cognitive development should include social, cultural and linguistic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research reported bilingual cognitive strengths in working memory, executive function and novel-word learning skills (Bialystok in Psychol Bull 143:233-262, 2017; Kaushanskaya and Marian in Psychon Bull Rev 16:705-710, 2009). These skills should also support bilingual children's vocabulary and reading development, yet bilingual children show weaknesses in their second language vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. Our primary aim was to clarify these seemingly paradoxical reports by investigating the cognitive strengths and weaknesses associated with both bilingual experience and reading comprehension in a single study. The participants were 102 English-speaking monolingual children and 104 Hindi/Urdu-English speaking bilingual children (mean age = 118.26 months, SD = 11.23 months) in the UK. We tested children's vocabulary, working memory, executive function (cognitive inhibition, updating memory), novel-word learning, and reading skills. All testing was conducted in English. The findings supported the previous reports of bilingual cognitive strengths in working memory, novel-word learning and cognitive inhibition skills. However, despite their cognitive strengths and adequate word reading skills, the bilingual group displayed weaker reading comprehension than their monolingual peers. As anticipated, there was a direct association between bilingual children's smaller English vocabulary size and underperformance on reading comprehension. Along with word reading, vocabulary was the most powerful unique predictor of reading comprehension. The effects of cognitive control skills on reading comprehension were mixed and mostly indirect through word reading skills. These relations were comparable across the monolingual and bilingual groups. Together, our findings highlighted the importance of clear educational policies on oral language assessment and support in our increasingly multilingual classrooms.

In the fields of education, sociology, and economics, there is a long-standing connection between socioeconomic status (SES) and school outcomes in a wide variety of cultural settings, but these studies have yet to examine the possible mediating effects of domain-general cognitive factors such as executive functions (EFs). Addressing this gap and building on evidence for links between EFs and numeracy, the current cross-cultural study used a large sample (N = 835) of 9- to 16-year-old children from Hong Kong and the United Kingdom to examine the independence and interplay of SES and EFs as predictors of numeracy skills. Our analyses yielded three key findings, namely that (a) EFs consistently predicted numeracy skills across sites and genders, (b) associations between SES and EFs differed by site and gender, and (c) associations between numeracy skills and SES/EFs differed by site and gender. Together with previous findings, our results suggest culture-specific associations among SES, EFs, and numeracy, indicating that cultural insights may enable impactful shifts in public policy to narrow the achievement gap between children from affluent and disadvantaged families., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Seventy‐five per cent of UK suicides are completed by men, and associated masculinity beliefs are well researched. The self‐regulatory executive functioning (S‐REF) model of distress is governed by metacognitive beliefs about mental processes, such as worry and rumination. Little is known about metacognition in male suicidality and how these processes interact with masculinity beliefs, suicidal ideation and behaviour. Aims: To identify which aspects of the S‐REF model were present in a sample of men experiencing suicidality, and to consider how these processes interact with masculinity beliefs, suicidal ideation and behaviour. Method: Fifteen men experiencing suicidal ideation or behaviour were recruited from a home‐based treatment team. Semi‐structured interviews and self‐report measures were administered to identify metacognitive processes and masculinity beliefs. Interviews were analysed using the framework approach. Results: The S‐REF model was identified across three super‐ordinate themes; 'the cognitive attentional syndrome (CAS) and maladaptive coping', 'metacognitive beliefs about worry, uncontrollability and danger' and 'consequences'. Thirteen sub‐ordinate themes included processes such as 'worry' and 'rumination', metacognitive beliefs such as 'worrying helps me avoid problems' and 'worry is dangerous for me' and emotional consequences such as 'overwhelm', 'emasculation' and 'escape'. Conclusion: Perseverative thinking and erroneous metacognitive beliefs were associated with reduced functioning, which was incompatible with masculinity beliefs about leadership and strength, and suicide was considered as re‐establishing control. Further research into metacognitive processes in male suicidality would enhance theoretical understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By approximately 6 years of age, children can use time-based visual selection to ignore stationary stimuli, already in the visual field and prioritize the selection of newly arriving stimuli. This ability can be studied using preview search, a version of the visual search paradigm with an added temporal component, in which one set of distractors is presented (previewed) before a second set that contains the target item. Preview search is more efficient than if all items are presented simultaneously, suggesting that temporally "old" objects can be ignored (the preview benefit). In two experiments, we examined the developmental trajectory for time-based visual selection in a sample of 192 6-, 8-, and 12-year-old children (49% female, predominantly White), with adults as controls (75% female, predominantly White), in the United Kingdom. The results showed an absence of the ability to ignore previewed moving distractors in 6-year-olds and confirmed its presence from 8 years of age. However, full development of this ability, which includes maintaining inhibition of previewed items over extended periods, was only present from the age of 12. Individual differences in executive functions, namely inhibition, were associated with preview search efficiency in 6-year-olds and adults. Overall, the results suggest a developmental trajectory in the ability to ignore moving old objects that occurs in two stages and develops later than the ability to ignore previewed stationary objects. The results are discussed in terms of underlying inhibitory mechanisms, in addition to individual differences in the expression of this ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deficits in executive functions (EFs), cognitive processes that control goal-directed behaviors, are associated with psychopathology and neurologic disorders. Little is known about the molecular bases of individual differences in EFs. Prior candidate gene studies have been underpowered in their search for dopaminergic processes involved in cognitive functioning, and existing genome-wide association studies of EFs used small sample sizes and/or focused on individual tasks that are imprecise measures of EFs. We conducted a genome-wide association study of a common EF (cEF) factor score based on multiple tasks in the UK Biobank (n = 427,037 individuals of European descent). We found 129 independent genome-wide significant lead variants in 112 distinct loci. cEF was associated with fast synaptic transmission processes (synaptic, potassium channel, and GABA [gamma-aminobutyric acid] pathways) in gene-based analyses. cEF was genetically correlated with measures of intelligence (IQ) and cognitive processing speed, but cEF and IQ showed differential genetic associations with psychiatric disorders and educational attainment. Results suggest that cEF is a genetically distinct cognitive construct that is particularly relevant to understanding the genetic variance in psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early executive functions (EFs) lay the foundations for academic and social outcomes. In this parent‐report study of 575 UK‐based 8‐ to 36 month olds (218 followed longitudinally), we investigate how variation in the home environment before and during the 2020 pandemic relates to infants' emerging EFs. Parent‐infant enriching activities were positively associated with infant Cognitive Executive Function (CEF) (encompassing inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility). During the most‐restrictive UK lockdown—but not subsequently—socioeconomic status (SES) was positively associated with levels of parent‐infant enriching activities. Parents who regard fostering early learning, affection, and attachment as important were more likely to engage in parent‐infant enriching activities, yet there was no significant pathway from parental attitudes or SES to CEF via activities. Infant screen use was negatively associated with CEF and Regulation. Screen use fully mediated the effect of SES on CEF, and partially mediated the effect of SES on regulation. Parental attitudes toward early learning, affection, and attachment did not significantly influence screen use. These results indicate that although parental attitudes influence the development of early EFs, interventions targeting attitudes as a means of increasing enriching activities, and thus EF are likely to be less effective than reducing barriers to engaging in enriching activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Children affected with overweight or obesity have been associated with having lower educational achievement compared to peers who are non‐overweight/obese. One of the drivers of this association could be a link between obesity and poorer executive function. Evidence is limited to small, cross‐sectional studies which lack adjustment for important common causes. Objective: We investigate the association between weight status and executive function longitudinally in mid‐childhood, accounting for potential common causes. Methods: Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between weight status between 5 and 7 years and executive functioning at 11 years in members of the Millennium Cohort Study (n = 7739), accounting for a wide range of potential common causes. Age‐ and sex‐specific International Obesity Taskforce cut‐points for body mass index (BMI) were used. Executive function, including decision‐making, impulsivity and spatial working memory, was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Results: There were no unadjusted associations between weight status and decision‐making or impulsivity. After adjustment for all potential common causes, there was a lack of consistent evidence to support an association between persistent obesity (including overweight) between 5 and 7 years and spatial working memory task at 11 years. Conclusions: We found little evidence that poorer spatial working memory contributes to the association of children with obesity having lower educational achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Objective: To describe the process of adapting the evidence-based Teen Online Problem Solving (TOPS) program, a telehealth problem-solving treatment addressing executive function and behavior regulation challenges in adolescents with traumatic brain injury, in Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Research Method/Design: We describe the process of adapting and translating the TOPS program in 3 case studies with unique methods and samples. In Italy, 14 parents of adolescents with TBI participated in focus groups, and 2 adolescents with TBI and their parents and 2 physicians provided input on the resulting translation. In New Zealand, an independent Māori cultural advisor reviewed the content, and 6 adolescent-parent dyads and 2 health professionals completed the 10 modules independently over a five-week period to inform adaptation. In the United Kingdom, a team of neuropsychologists and a parent of an adolescent with ABI reviewed and adapted the content through successive iterations. Results: In Italy, suggested changes included greater emphasis on nonverbal communication and clearer examples of inappropriate problem-solving responses. In New Zealand, parents and adolescents rated the program as acceptable and helpful. Suggestions included incorporating familiar Māori settings, integrating religion, and developing videos with New Zealand adolescents. In the United Kingdom, iterative refinements focused on adapting TOPS for other acquired brain injuries and reflecting cross-national differences (e.g., drinking age). Conclusions/Implications: These 3 case studies suggest that programs such as TOPS developed in 1 cultural context can be broadly acceptable in other contexts, with adaptations focusing on tailoring to reflect the unique cultural and linguistic setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: How often a child naps, during infancy, is believed to reflect both intrinsic factors, that is, the need of an immature brain to consolidate information soon after it is acquired, and environmental factors. Difficulty accounting for important environmental factors that interfere with a child's sleep needs (e.g., attending daycare) has clouded our ability to understand the role of intrinsic drivers of napping frequency. Methods: Here we investigate sleep patterns in association with two measures of cognitive ability, vocabulary size, measured with the Oxford‐Communicative Development Inventory (N = 298) and cognitive executive functions (EF), measured with the Early EF Questionnaire (N = 463), in a cohort of 8–38‐month‐olds. Importantly, because of the social distancing measures imposed during the Covid‐19 Spring 2020 lockdown, in the UK, measures of sleep were taken when children did not access daycare settings. Results: We find that children with more frequent but shorter naps than expected for their age had lower concurrent receptive vocabularies, lower cognitive EF and a slower increase in expressive vocabulary from spring to winter 2020, when age, sex, and SES were accounted for. The negative association between vocabulary and frequency of naps became stronger with age. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the structure of daytime sleep is an indicator of cognitive development and highlight the importance of considering environmental perturbations and age when investigating developmental correlates of sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to deceive is a key milestone in social cognitive development for typically developing individuals. In this scoping review, we systematically searched the literature to summarise research on deceptive behaviour in autism and identify gaps in knowledge. Across the 28 studies identified, three main themes were synthesised, with seven subthemes: (1) "Deception ability and prevalence" (1a) gameplay deception; (1b) naturalistic deception; (2) "Psychological correlates of deception" (2a) verbal, intellectual and social ability; (2b) theory of mind (ToM) behaviours; (2c) executive function; and (3) "Social learning" (3a) training; (3b) social contexts. The findings challenge common stereotypes, showing that autistic individuals can and do engage in deception. However, many do so less frequently and less adeptly than typically developing individuals. Emerging evidence also suggests that autistic individuals (without co-occurring intellectual disability) may use compensatory strategies when engaging in deception, and that more skilled deceptive behaviour may arise later in life. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Objective: To test the extent to which initial walking speed influences dual-task performance after walking intervention, hypothesising that slow walking speed affects automatic gait control, limiting executive resource availability. Design: A secondary analysis of a trial of dual-task (DT) and single-task (ST) walking interventions comparing those with good (walking speed ⩾0.8 m s−1, n = 21) and limited (walking speed <0.79 m s−1, n = 24) capacity at baseline. Setting: Community. Subjects: Adults six-months post stroke with walking impairment. Interventions: Twenty sessions of 30 minutes treadmill walking over 10 weeks with (DT) or without (ST) cognitive distraction. Good and limited groups were formed regardless of intervention received. Main measures: A two-minute walk with (DT) and without (ST) a cognitive distraction assessed walking. f NIRS measured prefrontal cortex activation during treadmill walking with (DT) and without (ST) Stroop and planning tasks and an f MRI sub-study used ankle-dorsiflexion to simulate walking. Results: ST walking improved in both groups (∆baseline: Good = 8.9 ± 13.4 m, limited = 5.3±8.9 m, Group × time = P < 0.151) but only the good walkers improved DT walking (∆baseline: Good = 10.4 ± 13.9 m, limited = 1.3 ± 7.7 m, Group × time = P < 0.025). f NIRS indicated increased ispilesional prefrontal cortex activation during DT walking following intervention (P = 0.021). f MRI revealed greater DT cost activation for limited walkers, and increased resting state connectivity of contralesional M1 with cortical areas associated with conscious gait control at baseline. After the intervention, resting state connectivity between ipsilesional M1 and bilateral superior parietal lobe, involved in integrating sensory and motor signals, increased in the good walkers compared with limited walkers. Conclusion: In individual who walk slowly it may be difficult to improve dual-task walking ability. Registration: ISRCTN50586966 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have reported reduced cognitive function following COVID-19 illness, mostly from hospital settings with short follow-up times. This study recruited non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients from a general population to study prevalence of late cognitive impairment and associations with initial symptoms. We invited patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19. A postal questionnaire addressed basic demographics, initial COVID-19 symptoms and co-morbidity about 4 months after diagnosis. About 7 months later, we conducted cognitive tests using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, comprising four tests for short-term memory, attention and executive function. We present descriptive statistics using z-scores relative to UK population norms and defined impairment as z-score <-1.5. We used multivariable logistic regression with impairment as outcome. Continuous domain scores were analysed by multiple linear regression. Of the initial 458 participants; 305 were invited, and 234 (77%) completed cognitive testing. At median 11 (range 8–13) months after PCR positivity, cognitive scores for short term memory, visuospatial processing, learning and attention were lower than norms (p≤0.001). In each domain, 4–14% were cognitively impaired; 68/232 (29%) were impaired in ≥ 1 of 4 tests. There was no association between initial symptom severity and impairment. Multivariable linear regression showed association between spatial working memory and initial symptom load (6–9 symptoms vs. 0–5, coef. 4.26, 95% CI: 0.65; 7.86). No other dimension scores were associated with symptom load. At median 11 months after out-of-hospital SARS-Cov-2 infection, minor cognitive impairment was seen with little association between COVID-19 symptom severity and outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial well-being is a desirable state as it benefits individuals, families, organizations, and society, and these benefits reach beyond the financial domain. We assessed financial well-being as two components (current financial stress and expected future financial security) and used data from a representative sample of adults in the United Kingdom (n = 411). Our study provides novel insights based on preregistered hypotheses, method, and analysis plan on the Open Science Framework. We hypothesized that both executive functioning and financial self-efficacy are positively related to financial well-being via positive financial behaviors. We also hypothesized that executive functioning moderated the indirect relation of financial self-efficacy with financial well-being, and that financial self-efficacy moderated the indirect relation of executive functioning with financial well-being. As predicted, results showed that financial self-efficacy was strongly positively related to financial well-being via positive financial behaviors. Our results did not show that executive functioning was related to financial well-being via positive financial behaviors, nor that executive functioning or financial self-efficacy operated as moderators. This study provides possible strategies for financial practitioners and service providers, among others, to help individuals and families better their financial behaviors and their financial well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional and behavioural problems are closely associated with impairments in regulating emotions and in executive functions (EF). To examine this further, the aim of the present study was to determine whether EF and emotion regulation at baseline would predict emotional and behavioural problem scores post-intervention, and further explore the extent to which emotion regulation mediates these outcomes. Participants were 41 primary school children who exhibited emotional and/or behavioural problems, aged 8 to 11 years. All the children completed measures of emotional and behavioural problems, cognitive emotion regulation, anxiety symptoms, and performed two experimental tasks to measure working memory and response inhibition before and after participating in a transdiagnostic Cognitive Behaviour Therapy-based programme, "Super Skills for Life" (SSL), and at 3-months follow-up. Results revealed significant reduction in the use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategy catastrophising and other blame following the intervention. Additionally, EF and emotion regulation was associated with outcomes for emotional problems and conduct problems. More specifically maladaptive emotion regulation strategy such as catastrophising and other blame was closely related with self-reports of emotional problems, likewise other blame, was also linked with scores of conduct problems. This study provides preliminary empirical support for EF and emotion regulation in predicting outcomes of emotional and behavioural problems in children following intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder, leading to impairment of various neurological faculties, including motor, planning, cognitivity, and executive functions. Motor- and non-motor symptoms of the disease may intensify a patient's restrictions to performing usual tasks of daily living, including driving. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) associated with optimized clinical treatment has been shown to improve quality of life, motor, and non-motor symptoms in PD. In most countries, there are no specific guidelines concerning minimum safety requirements and the timing of return to driving following DBS, leaving to the medical staff of individual DBS centres the responsibility to draw recommendations individually regarding patients' ability to drive after surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors that might influence the ability to drive following DBS in the management of PD. A total of 125 patients were included. Clinical, epidemiological, neuropsychological, and surgical factors were evaluated. The mean follow-up time was 129.9 months. DBS improved motor and non-motor symptoms of PD. However, in general, patients were 2.8-fold less likely to drive in the postoperative period than prior to surgery. Among the PD characteristics, patients with the akinetic subtype presented a higher risk to lose their driving licence postoperatively. Furthermore, the presence of an abnormal postoperative neuropsychological evaluation was also associated with driving restriction following surgery. Our data indicate that restriction to drive following surgery seems to be multifactorial rather than a direct consequence of DBS itself. Our study sheds light on the urgent need for a standardised multidisciplinary postoperative evaluation to assess patients' ability to drive following DBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript presents a demonstration study of Quiet Time (QT), a classroom-based Transcendental Meditation intervention. The aim of the study is to assess the feasibility of implementing and evaluating QT in two pilot settings in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This study contributes to the field by targeting middle childhood, testing efficiency in two settings operating under different educational systems, and including a large array of measures. First, teacher and pupil engagement with QT was assessed. Second, the feasibility of using a quasi-experimental design and a wide range of instruments to measure changes in pupil outcomes before and after the intervention was assessed. This allows us to obtain information about which instruments might be feasible to administer and most sensitive to change. The first setting included 89 students from a primary school in the United Kingdom: those in sixth grade received the QT intervention, while those in fifth grade practiced meditation using the Headspace application. The second setting included 100 fifth- and sixth-grade students from two schools in Ireland: one received the QT intervention, the other served as a control. Recruitment and retention rates were high in both settings, and the intervention was feasible and accepted by students, parents and teachers. Implementation fidelity was lower in the United Kingdom setting where delivery started later in the school year and the practice was affected by preparation for the Standard Assessment Tests. These results show that QT may be feasibly delivered in school settings, and suggest the use of a compact battery of tests to measure impact. We find suggestive evidence that the intervention affected executive function as children who practiced QT showed improved working memory in both settings. In the Irish setting, pupils in the QT group had improved ability to control responses. These results have implications for future studies by a) demonstrating that implementation fidelity is highly context dependent and b) providing suggestive evidence of the malleability of children's skills in middle childhood. The results of this demonstration study will be used to inform a larger RCT of the QT intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]