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Executive function encompasses effortful cognitive processes that are particularly susceptible to aging. Functional brain networks supporting executive function—such as the frontoparietal control network and the multiple demand system—have been extensively investigated. However, it remains unclear how structural networks facilitate and constrain the dynamics of functional networks to contribute to aging-related executive function declines. We examined whether changes in structural network modal controllability—a network’s ability to facilitate effortful brain state transitions that support cognitive functions—are associated with changes in executive function cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Diffusion-weighted imaging and neuropsychological testing were conducted at two time points (Time 1: ages 56 to 66, N = 172; Time 2: ages 61 to 70, N = 267) in community-dwelling men from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging. An executive function factor score was computed from six neuropsychological tasks. Structural networks constructed from white matter connectivity were used to estimate modal controllability in control network and multiple demand system. We showed that higher modal controllability in control network and multiple demand system was associated with better executive function at Time 2, after controlling for age, young adult general cognitive ability, and physical health status. Moreover, changes in executive function over a period of 5 to 6 years (Time 1-Time 2, N = 105) were associated with changes in modal controllability of the multiple demand system and weakly in the control network over the same time period. These findings suggest that changes in the ability of structural brain networks in facilitating effortful brain state transitions may be a key neural mechanism underlying aging-related executive function declines and cognitive aging.

The functional roles of the precuneus are unclear. Focal precuneus lesions are rare, making it difficult to identify robust brain–behavior relationships. Distinct functional subdivisions of the precuneus have been proposed based on unique connectivity profiles. This includes an association of the anterior division with bodily awareness, the central region with complex cognition, and the posterior division with visual processing. Our goal was to test the hypothesis that the central precuneus is preferentially involved (compared to the other sectors of the precuneus) in executive function, as estimated from performance on the trail-making test (TMT). 35 patients with focal brain lesions involving the precuneus were included from the University of Iowa and Montpellier University. Multivariate lesion symptom mapping of TMT performance was performed to evaluate whether lesion location was associated with impaired task performance. Lesion symptom mapping revealed a statistically significant association of central precuneus lesions with impaired TMT performance (r = 0.43, p < 0.01). Further, a functional network derived from this precuneus region showed connectivity to other cortical areas implicated in executive function, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and inferior parietal lobe. This analysis provides support for the role of the central precuneus in executive function, consistent with the unique connectivity pattern of the central precuneus with a broader network implicated in cognitive control and executive function.

Executive function (EF) develops throughout childhood and adolescence; however, little is known about whether and how early life factors are associated with EF during these two stages. This secondary analysis examined the associations between maternal psychological characteristics at 2 years after childbirth and offspring EF at 6 and 18 years.Data were from the 18-year New Mothers' Study in Memphis, TN. Women who self-identified as African-American were included (mother-child dyads: N = 414). Maternal psychological characteristics (e.g., depressive symptoms, self-esteem) were assessed using standardized questionnaires; offspring EF at 6 (i.e., working memory, response inhibition) and 18 years (e.g., working memory, sustained attention) were assessed using age-appropriate cognitive tasks. Statistical analyses included principal component analysis (PCA) and regression models.PCA reduced the correlated psychological characteristics to two factors: emotionality (depressive symptoms, emotional instability) and psychological resources (self-esteem, mastery, active coping). After controlling for maternal IQ, maternal emotionality was associated with worse working memory and response inhibition (marginally significant) at 6 years. Maternal psychological resources were marginally associated with better working memory at 6 years.Maternal psychological characteristics may be associated with later EF in offspring. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings and to explore potential mediators.African-American mothers' depressive symptoms and emotional instability at 2 years after childbirth were associated with offspring executive function at 6 and 18 years. African-American mothers' psychological resources at 2 years after childbirth were marginally associated with offspring working memory at 6 years. Maternal IQ attenuated all of the associations observed between maternal psychological status and offspring executive function.

There is increasing interest in using motor function tests to identify risk of cognitive impairment in older adults (OA). This study examined associations among grip strength, with and without adjustment for muscle mass, manual dexterity and Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B in 77 OA (73.4 ± 5.2 years) with globally intact cognition. A subset of OA who exhibited mismatched motor function (e.g., in the highest strength and lowest dexterity tertiles, or vice versa) was identified and analyzed. Dexterity showed stronger associations with TMT-A and -B than grip strength (absolute or adjusted). OA with mismatched motor function scored worse on tests of TMT-B, but not -A than those with matched motor function. Dexterity may have more promise than grip strength for identifying increased risk of cognitive impairment. Intriguing, though limited, data suggest that mismatched motor function (strength vs. dexterity) in OAs might be an even more robust marker of such risk.

Background Older people with impaired executive function (EF) might have an increased fall risk, but prospective studies with prolonged follow-up are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the association between a) EF at baseline; b) 6-year decline in EF performance; and fall status 6 years later. Methods Participants were 906 community-dwelling adults aged 65–69 years, enrolled in the Lausanne 65 + cohort. EF was measured at baseline and at 6 years using clock drawing test (CDT), verbal fluency (VF), Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B, and TMT ratio (TMT-B – TMT-A/TMT-A). EF decline was defined as clinically meaningful poorer performance at 6 years. Falls data were collected at 6 years using monthly calendars over 12 months. Results Over 12-month follow-up, 13.0% of participants reported a single benign fall, and 20.2% serious (i.e., multiple and/or injurious) falls. In multivariable analysis, participants with worse TMT-B performance (adjusted Relative Risk Ratio, adjRRRTMT-B worst quintile = 0.38, 95%CI:0.19–0.75, p = .006) and worse TMT ratio (adjRRRTMT ratio worst quintile = 0.31, 95%CI:0.15–0.64, p = .001) were less likely to report a benign fall, whereas no significant association was observed with serious falls. In a subgroup analysis among fallers, participants with worse TMT-B (OR:1.86, 95%CI = 0.98–3.53, p = .059) and worse TMT ratio (OR:1.84,95%CI = 0.98–3.43,p = .057) tended to have higher odds of serious falls. EF decline was not associated to higher odds of falls. Conclusions Participants with worse EF were less likely to report a single benign fall at follow-up, while fallers with worse EF tended to report multiple and/or injurious falls more frequently. Future studies should investigate the role of slight EF impairment in provoking serious falls in active young-old adults.

Minimal but increasing number of assessment instruments for Executive functions (EFs) and adaptive functioning (AF) have either been developed for or adapted and validated for use among children in low and middle income countries (LAMICs). However, the suitability of these tools for this context is unclear. A systematic review of such instruments was thus undertaken. The Systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist (Liberati et al., in BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 339, 2009). A search was made for primary research papers reporting psychometric properties for development or adaptation of either EF or AF tools among children in LAMICs, with no date or language restrictions. 14 bibliographic databases were searched, including grey literature. Risk of bias assessment was done following the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments) guidelines (Mokkink et al., in Quality of Life Research,63, 32, 2014). For EF, the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF- multiple versions), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Go/No-go and the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF) were the most rigorously validated. For AFs, the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS- multiple versions) and the Child Function Impairment Rating Scale (CFIRS- first edition) were most validated. Most of these tools showed adequate internal consistency and structural validity. However, none of these tools showed acceptable quality of evidence for sufficient psychometric properties across all the measured domains, particularly so for content validity and cross-cultural validity in LAMICs. There is a great need for adequate adaptation of the most popular EF and AF instruments, or alternatively the development of purpose-made instruments for assessing children in LAMICs.Systematic Review Registration numbers: CRD42020202190 (EF tools systematic review) and CRD42020203968 (AF tools systematic review) registered on PROSPERO website (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/).

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of viloxazine extended-release capsules (viloxazine ER; Qelbree™) on executive function deficits (EFDs) in pediatric subjects (6–17 years of age) with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods Data from four phase III placebo-controlled trials of 100–600 mg/day viloxazine ER (6–8 weeks of treatment) were used to evaluate the change from baseline (CFB) in the Conners 3rd Edition Parent Short Form—Executive Function (C3PS-EF) content scale T-score. Subjects were defined as EFD responders if they had C3PS-EF T-score > 70 at baseline and < 65 at end of study. ADHD symptoms were assessed with ADHD Rating Scale 5th Edition (ADHD-RS-5). Subjects were defined as ADHD symptom responders if they had a ≥ 50% reduction in CFB ADHD-RS-5 Total score at Week 6. The number needed to treat (NNT) and Cohen’s d effect sizes were estimated for EFD and ADHD symptoms. Results A total of 1154 subjects were included in the analysis. Statistically significant improvements in EFDs were observed with viloxazine ER versus placebo (p = 0.0002). There were 52.5% of EFD or ADHD symptom responders in the viloxazine ER treatment group and 35.4% in the placebo group (p

Funder: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Funder: National Research Foundation (Singapore) CREATE Grant to the University of Cambridge and Nanyang Technological University for the Centre of Lifelong Learning and Individualised Cognition (CLIC)., Concepts of cognitive control (CC) and executive function (EF) are defined in terms of their relationships with goal-directed behavior versus habits and controlled versus automatic processing, and related to the functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and related regions and networks. A psychometric approach shows unity and diversity in CC constructs, with 3 components in the most commonly studied constructs: general or common CC and components specific to mental set shifting and working memory updating. These constructs are considered against the cellular and systems neurobiology of PFC and what is known of its functional neuroanatomical or network organization based on lesioning, neurochemical, and neuroimaging approaches across species. CC is also considered in the context of motivation, as "cool" and "hot" forms. Its Common CC component is shown to be distinct from general intelligence (g) and closely related to response inhibition. Impairments in CC are considered as possible causes of psychiatric symptoms and consequences of disorders. The relationships of CC with the general factor of psychopathology (p) and dimensional constructs such as impulsivity in large scale developmental and adult populations are considered, as well as implications for genetic studies and RDoC approaches to psychiatric classification.

Both HIV status and heavy alcohol use have been associated with reduced cognitive function, particularly in the domains of working memory and executive function. It is unclear what aspects of working memory and executive function are associated with HIV status and heavy alcohol use and whether performance on these measures are associated with functional impairment. We examined the relationship between HIV, history of heavy alcohol consumption, and HIV/alcohol interaction on speeded tests of frontal inhibitory abilities, a working memory task related to mental manipulation of letters and numbers, cognitive flexibility, and measures of functional impairment. Study participants included 284 individuals (151 HIV +) recruited from two different studies focusing on HIV associated brain dysfunction, one specific to the effects of alcohol, the other specific to the effects of aging. HIV status was not independently associated with working memory and executive function measures. Higher level of alcohol consumption was associated with reduced performance on Letter Number Sequencing. Poorer Letter Number Sequencing performance was associated with role impairment (an inability to do certain kinds of work, housework, or schoolwork) and executive function difficulties. Future studies should examine causal associations and interventions targeting working memory abilities.Tanto el estado del VIH como el consumo excesivo de alcohol se han asociado con una función cognitiva reducida, particularmente en los dominios de la memoria de trabajo y la función ejecutiva. No está claro qué aspectos de la memoria de trabajo y la función ejecutiva están asociados con el estado del VIH y el consumo excesivo de alcohol y si el desempeño en estas medidas está asociado con un deterioro funcional. Examinamos la relación entre el VIH, el historial de consumo excesivo de alcohol y la interacción VIH / alcohol, en pruebas aceleradas de capacidades inhibitorias frontales, tareas de memoria de trabajo relacionadas con la manipulación mental de letras y números, flexibilidad cognitiva y medidas de deterioro funcional. Los participantes del estudio incluyeron 284 personas (151 VIH +) reclutadas de dos estudios diferentes que se centran en la disfunción cerebral asociada al VIH, uno específico de los efectos del alcohol y el otro específico de los efectos del envejecimiento. El estado del VIH no se asoció de forma independiente con las medidas de memoria de trabajo y función ejecutiva. Un mayor nivel de consumo de alcohol se asoció con un rendimiento reducido en la secuenciación de números de letras. Un desempeño deficiente en la secuenciación de números de letras se asoció con un deterioro de los roles (una incapacidad para realizar ciertos tipos de trabajo, tareas domésticas o escolares) y dificultades en las funciones ejecutivas. Los estudios futuros deben examinar las asociaciones causales y las intervenciones dirigidas a las capacidades de la memoria de trabajo.

Objective Childhood is a critical period for brain development. However, it remains unknown whether the behaviors in a typical 24-h day are related to children’s executive function (EF). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the 24-h movement guidelines and children’s EF. Method Children aged 7–12 years (n = 376) were studied in 2017 in China. Physical activity (PA) was accelerometer-derived, while screen time (ST) and sleep duration were self-reported. Meeting the 24-h movement guidelines was defined as: 1) ≥ 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA; 2) ≤ 2 h/day of recreational ST; 3) 9–11 h/night of sleep. EF was assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Number of completed categories (CC), shifting efficiency (SE), non-perseverative errors (NPE), and failure to maintain set (FMS) were used to measure four processes of EF, respectively represented global performance, cognitive flexibility, efficiency in rule discovery, and sustained attention. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) were completed to explore the associations of meeting the PA, ST, and sleep duration recommendations with four processes of EF. Results Statistically significant positive associations were observed between the number of guidelines met, regarded as a continuous variable, with CC [β = 0.343 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.125, 0.561)] and SE [β = 4.028 (95% CI: 0.328, 7.727)], while number of guidelines met negatively related to NPE [β = − 4.377 (95% CI:-7.952,-0.802)]. Participants not meeting the two recommendations for PA and sleep duration had lower scores in CC [β = -0.636(95% CI:-1.125,-0.147)] and SE [β = -10.610 (95% CI:-18.794,-2.425)] compared with those meeting the two, suggesting inferior global performance and worse efficiency in rule discovery. However, ST recommendation had no significant association with any processes of EF. Conclusion Meeting more recommendations of the 24-h movement guidelines was associated with superior EF in children. Specifically, more PA and healthy sleep duration should be encouraged to promote children’s EF.

Dopamine (DA) signaling is critical for optimal cognitive performance. Aging is accompanied by a change in the strength of this signaling, with a loss of striatal and extrastriatal D2 binding potential. The reduction in dopamine modulation with age negatively influences various aspects of cognition. DRD2 C957T (rs6277) impacts DA D2 receptor density and availability, with C homozygotes linked to lower striatal DA availability and reduced executive functioning (EF), but also high extrastriatal binding potential. Here, we investigated in 176 participants aged 20–94 years whether: (1) DRD2 C carriers differ from T carriers in cortical thickness or subcortical volume in areas of high concentrations of D2 receptors that receive projections from mesocortical or nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways; (2) whether the DRD2*COMT relationship has any synergistic effects on cortical thickness; (3) whether the effect of DRD2 on brain structure depends upon age; and (4) whether DRD2-related regional thinning affects executive function performance. We show that DRD2 impacts cortical thickness in the superior parietal lobule, precuneus, and anterior cingulate (marginal after FDR correction), while statistically controlling sex, age, and COMT genotype. Specifically, C homozygotes demonstrated thinner cortices than both heterozygotes and/or T homozygotes in an age-invariant manner. Additionally, DRD2 predicted executive function performance via cortical thickness. The results highlight that genetic influences on dopamine availability impact cognitive performance via the contribution of brain structure in cortical regions influenced by DRD2.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In adult chronic kidney disease (CKD), metabolic acidosis is associated with diminished cognition, notably executive function (EF). Data from the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) study demonstrate a risk for impairment of EF, a finding associated with heightened blood pressure variability (BPV). We sought to determine whether low serum bicarbonate is also associated with performance on tests of EF in pediatric CKD and to investigate potential interaction with BPV. DESIGN/METHODS: CKiD participants with serum bicarbonate, blood pressure, and selected cognitive measurements available were evaluated. An EF summary score was derived from scores on the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System, Conners’ Continuous Performance Test, and Digit Span Backwards subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV-Integrated. Parents completed the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) to yield a Global Executive Composite (GEC) score. Linear mixed models with bicarbonate and hypertension as predictors and linear regression with bicarbonate and BPV were used to predict EF level. RESULTS: Data were available for 865 children. Twenty-two percent had low bicarbonate (CO(2) ≤ 20 mmol/L) at baseline. On multivariate analysis, there was no relationship between bicarbonate, hypertension, and EF. There was no significant CO(2)×hypertension interaction found. A significant interaction (p= 0.01) between high CO(2) (≥ 26 mmol/L) and BPV was detected in the model with GEC as the EF outcome, indicating that while higher BPV was associated with worse EF in the low and normal CO(2) groups, higher BPV was associated with better EF in the high CO(2) group. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses revealed an interaction between one measure of BPV and low bicarbonate on neurocognition in pediatric CKD, suggesting a potential role for control of both bicarbonate and blood pressure in preserving cognition in early CKD. Further research is needed to confirm and further define this association.

Running, compared to pedaling is a whole-body locomotive movement that may confer more mental health via strongly stimulating brains, although running impacts on mental health but their underlying brain mechanisms have yet to be determined; since almost the mechanistic studies have been done with pedaling. We thus aimed at determining the acute effect of a single bout of running at moderate-intensity, the most popular condition, on mood and executive function as well as their neural substrates in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Twenty-six healthy participants completed both a 10-min running session on a treadmill at 50%$${\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{{\text{2peak}}}}$$ V ˙ O 2peak and a resting control session in randomized order. Executive function was assessed using the Stroop interference time from the color-word matching Stroop task (CWST) and mood was assessed using the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale, before and after both sessions. Prefrontal hemodynamic changes while performing the CWST were investigated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Running resulted in significant enhanced arousal and pleasure level compared to control. Running also caused significant greater reduction of Stroop interference time and increase in Oxy-Hb signals in bilateral PFCs. Besides, we found a significant association among pleasure level, Stroop interference reaction time, and the left dorsolateral PFCs: important brain loci for inhibitory control and mood regulation. To our knowledge, an acute moderate-intensity running has the beneficial of inducing a positive mood and enhancing executive function coinciding with cortical activation in the prefrontal subregions involved in inhibitory control and mood regulation. These results together with previous findings with pedaling imply the specificity of moderate running benefits promoting both cognition and pleasant mood.

There is increasing interest in the role of brain oscillations in the regulation and control of behavior. The current study examined the relations between specific cognitive abilities and changes in brain oscillatory activity during anticipation of, and in response to, tactile stimulation of the hand. The oscillation of interest was the sensorimotor mu rhythm (8-14 Hz) at central electrode sites. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded during a task in which a visuospatial cue directed adults (N = 40) that a tactile stimulus would be delivered to their left or right hand. Lateralized changes in mu power following tactile stimulation were associated with reaction time to the tactile stimulus. The extent of a contralateral anticipatory reduction in mu power during the 500 ms before the tactile stimulus was associated with performance on a separate processing speed task. Changes in ipsilateral mu power during anticipation of the tactile stimulus were associated with performance on a flanker task and were marginally correlated with performance on a card sort task. Regression analyses further indicated the specificity of these relations to anticipatory changes in mu power. In summary, mu rhythm modulation during anticipation of tactile stimulation to a specific bodily location was related to a broad measure of processing speed and to variability in the broader ability to regulate behavior in a goal-directed manner. Implications are discussed in terms of the foundational role of anticipatory attention in cognitive processes and the utility of selective attention to the body as an index of attentional control more broadly.

Executive function (EF), the set of cognitive processes that govern goal-directed behavior, varies within developmental samples and clinical populations. Here, we perform a conceptual replication of prior work (Dajani et al. in Sci Rep 6:36566, 2016) in an independent sample of typically developing children (n = 183) and children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 104). Consistent with previous work, the latent profile analysis of parent-report EF measures provided evidence for three EF classes, which exhibited differential proportions of diagnostic groups. Additionally, children in the impaired EF group exhibited greater levels of social impairment. These results highlight the heterogeneity of EF ability among clinical and non-clinical populations and the link between EF and social abilities.

Item does not contain fulltext Across industrialized nations, children and teens are a highly prized target for the advertising industry because young people have a tremendous influence on family purchases; however, media scholars have long suggested that young people are a fundamentally vulnerable audience because they lack the necessary developmental competencies to adequately process and protect themselves from advertising communications. Yet, the precise developmental mechanisms have not been clearly articulated nor is there a clear understanding of how these competencies extend across childhood contexts (e.g., developmental phase, cultures). The current study seeks to lend clarity to this matter by looking at the potential influence that children's executive function and emotion regulation have on the relationship between television exposure (as a proxy of exposure to advertising messages and other consumption-oriented media content) and consumer behavior across a broad range of ages from two wealthy industrialized countries. Mothers of young elementary school children (5-8 years) and early adolescents (9-12 years) in the Netherlands (N = 333, 51.7% female child) and the United States of America (N = 810, 49.6% female child) took part in an online survey to report on their child's cognitive/affective development, media use, and consumer behavior (i.e., purchase requests, purchase related conflict). The results showed that across ages, executive function via attentional shifting moderated the link between purchase requests and purchase conflict, whereas positively valenced emotion regulation moderated the same relationship but only for older children. Lastly, the findings revealed that while there are differences in reported behavior among children in these two countries, the developmental processes tend to work in the same manner. The discussion focuses on what these findings mean for children's consumer development as they approach adolescence and how researchers and child advocates should take these developmental factors into account when considering children's potential vulnerability as consumers. 25 p.

Studies of executive function (EF) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reported mixed findings. Possible confounds include EF domain assessed and co-occurring neurodevelopmental diagnoses. EF task performance across multiple domains and everyday function of autistic adults (n = 110) was significantly different to age- and IQ-matched controls (n = 31). Although significantly more likely to fall into the clinically impaired range, 35.8% of the ASD group showed no impairment on EF measures. Factor analysis revealed a single unifying EF construct rather than a selective pattern of impairment. Dysexecutive behaviours were frequently reported in the ASD group, unrelated to Autism symptoms, EF task performance or co-occurring conditions. This study suggests autistic adults can experience clinically significant executive function difficulties and co-occuring dysexecutive behaviours that are disabling in everyday life.

Executive functioning (EF) training interventions aimed at ADHD-symptom reduction have limited results. However, EF training might only be effective for children with relatively poor EF capacity. This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study examined whether pre-training EF capacity moderates the outcome of an EF-training intervention on measures of near transfer (EF performance) and far transfer (ADHD symptoms and parent-rated EF behavior) immediately after treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Sixty-one children with ADHD (aged 8-12) were randomized either to an EF-training condition where working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility were trained, or to a placebo condition. Single moderation models were used. All significant moderation outcomes had small effect sizes. After Bonferroni correction, there were no significant moderators of treatment outcome. Children with poor EF capacity do not benefit more from EF training than from placebo training. Training only EF-impaired children will probably not improve outcomes of EF training studies. ispartof: ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders vol:11 issue:4 pages:445-460 ispartof: location:Austria status: Published online

Background Intraoperative functional mapping with direct electrical stimulation during awake surgery for patients with diffuse low-grade glioma has been used in recent years to optimize the balance between surgical resection and quality of life following surgery. Mapping of executive functions is particularly challenging because of their complex nature, with only a handful of reports published so far. Here, we propose the recording of neural activity directly from the surface of the brain using electrocorticography to map executive functions and demonstrate its feasibility and potential utility. Methods To track a neural signature of executive function, we recorded neural activity using electrocorticography during awake surgery from the frontal cortex of three patients judged to have an appearance of diffuse low-grade glioma. Based on existing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) evidence from healthy participants for the recruitment of areas associated with executive function with increased task demands, we employed a task difficulty manipulation in two counting tasks performed intraoperatively. Following surgery, the data were extracted and analyzed offline to identify increases in broadband high-gamma power with increased task difficulty, equivalent to fMRI findings, as a signature of activity related to executive function. Results All three patients performed the tasks well. Data were recorded from five electrode strips, resulting in data from 15 channels overall. Eleven out of the 15 channels (73.3%) showed significant increases in high-gamma power with increased task difficulty, 26.6% of the channels (4/15) showed no change in power, and none of the channels showed power decrease. High-gamma power increases with increased task difficulty were more likely in areas that are within the canonical frontoparietal network template. Conclusions These results are the first step toward developing electrocorticography as a tool for mapping of executive function complementarily to direct electrical stimulation to guide resection. Further studies are required to establish this approach for clinical use.

Background Sleep disturbance and executive function impairment are common in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), though the relationship between the two remains unclear. We investigated this association in first-episode, treatment-naïve patients with MDD. Methods We analyzed data from 242 patients with MDD. We divided the patients into 2 groups based on sleep disturbance severity and compared the executive function odds ratios between the groups. Results A total of 121 pairs of patients were matched (age 39.4 ± 10.1, 70.2% female). After propensity score matching, the odds ratios for cognitive impairment in patients with MDD and severe sleep disturbance were 1.922 (1.068–3.459, P = 0.029, q = 0.044) in executive functioning; 2.023 (1.211–3.379, P = 0.007, q = 0.021) in executive shifting. Conclusions Sleep disturbance is associated with executive functioning impairment in first-episode, treatment-naïve patients with MDD. Severe sleep disturbance can be a marker and aid in recognizing executive function impairment in patients with first-episode treatment-naïve MDD. Severe sleep disturbance can be a potential modifiable factor to improve executive function in MDD, as well as an effective measurement to improve cognition for sleep symptom management that should be enforced at initial treatment of first-episode MDD. Further study is required to confirm our results. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02023567; registration date: December 2013.

Theoretical models of Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have long implicated executive function (EF) skills as contributing to the etiology, maintenance, and changes in ADHD symptomatology over time. Although there is interest making within-person inferences (i.e., deficits in EF skills give rise to ADHD behaviors), most of the evidence has been derived from studies that conflated between- and within-person sources of variance. Here, we use repeated-measures data to test within-person association between EF skills and ADHD behaviors. Participants included 1160 children from the Family Life Project, an ongoing prospective longitudinal study of child development in low-income, nonmetropolitan communities. We tested the magnitude of the association between EF skills and ADHD behaviors when children were 3, 4, and 5 years old. Consistent with meta-analyses, unadjusted bivariate associations between EF and ADHD (which reflect combined between- and within-person variation) were of moderate magnitude (rs = -0.20 to -0.30). However, after controlling for all time-invariant, between-person sources of variation, the within-person associations between EF skills and ADHD behaviors were weak (βs - 0.04 to -0.05, ps = 0.01). These results suggest that EF skills may contribute less prominently to ADHD behaviors in early childhood than is commonly assumed and provoke broader questions about developmental models of ADHD.

A number of different approaches are currently used for assessing young children's executive function (EF) and self-regulation (SR) skills. Nevertheless, guidance for stakeholders aiming to assess EF and SR in real-world settings (e.g., preschool classrooms) is currently lacking. In the present article, I review the properties, strengths, and weaknesses of three common approaches to EF and SR measurement: direct assessments, adult reports, and observational tools. Building on this general review, I next highlight several considerations specific to EF and SR measurement of young children in everyday contexts. In particular, I consider the ecological validity, interpretability, and scalability of each approach to EF and SR measurement, concluding with future directions for research.

Previous studies in humans have shown that brain regions activating social exclusion overlap with those related to attention. However, in the context of social exclusion, how does behavioral monitoring affect individual behavior? In this study, we used the Cyberball game to induce the social exclusion effect in a group of participants. To explore the influence of social exclusion on the attention network, we administered the Attention Network Test (ANT) and compared results for the three subsystems of the attention network (orienting, alerting, and executive control) between exclusion (N = 60) and inclusion (N = 60) groups. Compared with the inclusion group, the exclusion group showed shorter overall response time and better executive control performance, but no significant differences in orienting or alerting. The excluded individuals showed a stronger ability to detect and control conflicts. It appears that social exclusion does not always exert a negative influence on individuals. In future research, attention to network can be used as indicators of social exclusion. This may further reveal how social exclusion affects individuals' psychosomatic mechanisms.

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project was proposed by the National Institute of Mental Health in 2010 to create a new diagnostic system including symptoms and data from genetics, neuroscience, physiology, and self-reports. The purpose of this study was to determine the link between anxiety and executive functions through quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) based on the RDoC system. Nineteen-channel EEGs were recorded at the psychiatric clinic from 41 patients with symptoms of anxiety. The EEG power spectra were analysed. The Executive Intelligence Test (EXIT) including the K-WAIS-IV, Stroop, controlled oral word association, and the design fluency tests were performed. A partial, inversed, and significant association was observed between executive intelligence quotient (EIQ) and the absolute delta power in the central region. Similarly, a partial, inversed, and significant association was observed between design fluency and the absolute delta power in the left parietal area. Our findings suggest that the increase in delta power in the central region and left P3 was negatively correlated with the decrease in executive function. It is expected that the absolute delta power plays a specific role in the task-negative default mode network in the relationship between anxiety and executive function.

In developmental research, the relationship between Executive Function (EF) and Theory of Mind (ToM) has been extensively assessed, and EF has been considered a condition for ToM. However, few researchers have studied the relationship between EF and ToM in clinical populations, especially that of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention and motor hyperactivity/impulsivity, in which EF is largely impaired. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model, 201 English and Spanish articles evaluating EF and ToM in ADHD were chosen. Fifteen papers met the inclusion criteria and were selected for further analysis. The first study dates from 2001. Most of the studies’ designs are cross-sectional, include mostly male children, have a small sample size, and were conducted in European countries. Unlike tasks assessing EF, tasks assessing ToM were heterogeneous across studies. The EFs most correlated with ToM were inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and attention. Interest in studying the relationship between EF and ToM in ADHD is recent,but increasing based on new findings and tuning of ToM instruments. However, while an association between EF and ToM is indicated in ADHD, the degree of prediction and predictability of one over the other cannot yet be established because of the studies’ heterogeneity.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between executive function (EF), stuttering, and comorbidity by examining children who stutter (CWS) and children who do not stutter (CWNS) with and without comorbid conditions. Data from the National Health Interview Survey were used to examine behavioral manifestations of EF, such as inattention and self-regulation, in CWS and CWNS.MethodsThe sample included 2258 CWS (girls = 638, boys = 1620), and 117,725 CWNS (girls = 57,512; boys = 60,213). EF, and the presence of stuttering and comorbid conditions were based on parent report. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the distribution of stuttering and comorbidity across group and sex. Regression analyses were to determine the effects of stuttering and comorbidity on EF, and the relationship between EF and socioemotional competence.ResultsResults point to weaker EF in CWS compared to CWNS. Also, having comorbid conditions was also associated with weaker EF. CWS with comorbidity showed the weakest EF compared to CWNS with and without comorbidity, and CWS without comorbidity. Children with stronger EF showed higher socioemotional competence. A majority (60.32%) of CWS had at least one other comorbid condition in addition to stuttering. Boys who stutter were more likely to have comorbid conditions compared to girls who stutter.ConclusionPresent findings suggest that comorbidity is a common feature in CWS. Stuttering and comorbid conditions negatively impact EF.

This pilot study investigated the efficacy of a game-based cognitive training program (Caribbean Quest; CQ) for improving attention and executive function (EF) in school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). CQ is a 'serious game' that uses a hybrid process-specific/compensatory approach to remediate attention and EF abilities through repetitive, hierarchically graded exercises delivered in an adaptive format. Game-play is accompanied by instruction in metacognitive strategies delivered by an adult trainer. Twenty children diagnosed with ASD (ages 6-12 years) completed 12 h of intervention in schools over 8-10 weeks that was facilitated by a trained Research Assistant. Pre-post testing indicated near transfer gains for visual working memory and selective attention and far transfer effects for math fluency. Exit interviews with parents and school staff indicated anecdotal gains in attention, EF, emotion-regulation, flexibility, communication, and social skills. Overall, this study provides preliminary support for the feasibility and potential efficacy of the CQ when delivered in schools to children with ASD.

Executive function (EF) refers to a set of cognitive functions that support goal-directed behaviors. Recent findings have suggested that the frontoparietal network (FPN) subserves neural processes that are related to EF. However, the FPN structural and functional network properties that mediate age-related differences in EF components remain unclear. To this end, we used three experimental tasks to test the component processes of EF based on Miyake and Friedman’s model: one common EF component process (incorporating inhibition, shifting, and updating) and two specific EF component processes (shifting and updating). We recruited 126 healthy participants (65 females; 20 to 78 years old) who underwent both structural and functional MRI scanning. We tested a mediation path model of three structural and functional properties of the FPN (i.e., gray matter volume, white matter fractional anisotropy, and intra/internetwork functional connectivity) as mediators of age-related differences in the three EF components. The results indicated that age-related common EF component differences are mediated by regional gray matter volume changes in both hemispheres of the frontal lobe, which suggests that structural changes in the frontal lobe may have an indirect influence on age-related general elements of EF. These findings suggest that the FPN mediates age-related differences in specific components of EF.

Cognitive deficits are increasingly recognized as a core dimension rather than a consequence of schizophrenia (SCZ). The previous evidence supports the hypothesis of shared genetic factors between SCZ and cognitive ability. The objective of this study was to test whether and to what extent the variation of disease-relevant neurocognitive function in a sample of SCZ patients from the previous clinical interventional studies can be explained by SCZ polygenic risk scores (PRSs) or by hypothesis-driven and biomedical PRSs. The previous studies have described associations of the SNAP25 gene with cognition in SCZ. Likewise, the enrichment of several calcium signaling-related gene sets has been reported by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in SCZ. Hypothesis-driven PRSs were calculated on the basis of the SNAP-25 interactome and also for genes regulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), an activator of the signal transduction of protein kinase C (PKC) enzymes. In a cohort of 127 SCZ patients who had completed a comprehensive neurocognitive test battery as part of the previous antipsychotic intervention studies, we investigated the association between neurocognitive dimensions and PRSs. The PRS for SCZ and SNAP-25-associated genes could not explain the variance of neurocognition in this cohort. At a p value threshold of 0.05, the PRS for PMA was able to explain 2% of the variance in executive function (p = 0.05, uncorrected). The correlation between the PRS for PMA-regulated genes and cognition can give hints for further patient-derived cellular assays. In conclusion, incorporating biological information into PRSs and other en masse genetic analyses may help to close the gap between genetic vulnerability and the biological processes underlying neuropsychiatric diseases such as SCZ.

Executive function (EF) allows for self-regulation of behavior including maintaining focus in the face of distraction, inhibiting behavior that is suboptimal or inappropriate in a given context, and updating the contents of working memory. While EF has been studied extensively in humans, it has only recently become a topic of research in the domestic dog. In this paper, I argue for increased study of dog EF by explaining how it might influence the owner-dog bond, human safety, and dog welfare, as well as reviewing the current literature dedicated to EF in dogs. In "EF and its Application to "Man's Best Friend" section, I briefly describe EF and how it is relevant to dog behavior. In "Previous investigations into EF in dogs" section, I provide a review of the literature pertaining to EF in dogs, specifically tasks used to assess abilities like inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory capacity. In "Insights and limitations of previous studies" section, I consider limitations of existing studies that must be addressed in future research. Finally, in "Future directions" section, I propose future directions for meaningful research on EF in dogs.

Deficits in real-world executive functioning (EF) are a frequent characteristic of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the predictive value of using performance-based and behavioral rating measures of EF when diagnosing ADHD remains unclear. The current study investigates the use of performance-based EF measures and a parent-report questionnaire with established ecological validity and clinical utility when diagnosing ADHD. Participants included 21 healthy controls, 21 ADHD—primary inattentive, and 21 ADHD—combined type subjects aged 6–15 years. A brief neuropsychological battery was administered to each subject including common EF assessment measures. Significant differences were not found between groups on most performance-based EF measures, whereas significant differences (p

There is a growing use of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) including synthetic cannabinoids. Synthetic cannabinoid products have effects similar to those of natural cannabis but the new synthetic cannabinoids are more potent and dangerous and their use has resulted in various adverse effects. The purpose of the study was to assess whether persistent use of synthetic cannabinoids is associating with impairments of executive function in chronic users. A total of 38 synthetic cannabinoids users, 43 recreational cannabis users, and 41 non-user subjects were studied in two centers in Hungary and Israel. Computerized cognitive function tests, the classical Stroop word-color task, n-back task, and a free-recall memory task were used. Synthetic cannabinoid users performed significantly worse than both recreational and non-cannabis users on the n-back task (less accuracy), the Stroop task (overall slow responses and less accuracy), and the long-term memory task (less word recall). Additionally, they have also shown higher ratings of depression and anxiety compared with both recreational and non-users groups. This study showed impairment of executive function in synthetic cannabinoid users compared with recreational users of cannabis and non-users. This may have major implications for our understanding of the long-term consequences of synthetic cannabinoid based drugs.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a quantitative metric that reflects autonomic nervous system regulation and provides a physiological marker of attentional engagement that supports cognitive and affective regulatory processes. RSA can be added to executive function (EF) assessments with minimal participant burden because of the commercial availability of lightweight, wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors. However, the inclusion of RSA data in large data collection efforts has been hindered by the time-intensive processing of RSA. In this study we evaluated the performance of an automated RSA-scoring method in the context of an EF study in preschool-aged children. The absolute differences in RSA across both scoring methods were small (mean RSA differences = -0.02-0.10), with little to no evidence of bias for the automated relative to the hand-scoring approach. Moreover, the relative rank-ordering of RSA across both scoring methods was strong (rs = .96-.99). Reliable changes in RSA from baseline to the EF task were highly similar across both scoring methods (96%-100% absolute agreement; Kappa = .83-1.0). On the basis of these findings, the automated RSA algorithm appears to be a suitable substitute for hand-scoring in the context of EF assessment.

Executive function (EF) is increasingly recognized as being responsible for adverse developmental outcomes in preterm-born infants. Several perinatal factors may lead to poor EF development in infancy, and the deficits in EF can be identified in infants as young as eight months. A prospective cohort study was designed to study the EF in Chinese preterm infants and examine the relationship between EF in preterm infants and maternal factors during perinatal period. A total of 88 preterm infants and 88 full-term infants were followed from birth to eight months (corrected age). Cup Task and Planning Test was applied to assess the EF of infants, and the Bayley Scale of Infant Development (BSID-III) was used to evaluate cognitive (MDI) and motor abilities (PDI) of infants. In comparison with full-term infants, the preterm infants performed more poorly on all measures of EF including working memory, inhibition to prepotent responses, inhibition to distraction, and planning, and the differences remained after controlling the MDI and PDI. Anemia and selenium deficiency in mothers during pregnancy contributed to the differences in EF performance. However, maternal depression, hypertension, and diabetes during pregnancy were not related to the EF deficits in preterm infants. Future research should focus on the prevention of anemia and selenium deficiency during pregnancy and whether supplementing selenium in mothers during pregnancy can prevent further deterioration and the development of adverse outcomes of their offspring.

Weight loss maintenance is a complex, multifaceted process that presents a significant challenge for most individuals who lose weight. A growing body of literature indicates a strong relationship between cognitive dysfunction and excessive body weight, and suggests that a subset of high-order cognitive processes known as executive functions (EF) likely play an important role in weight management. Recent reviews cover neuropsychological correlates of weight status yet fail to address the role of executive function in the central dilemma of successful weight loss maintenance. In this paper, we provide an overview of the existing literature examining executive functions as they relate to weight status and initial weight loss. Further, we propose a novel conceptual model of the relationships between EF, initial weight loss, and weight loss maintenance, mapping specific executive functions onto strategies known to be associated with both phases of the weight control process. Implications for the development of more efficacious weight loss maintenance interventions are discussed.

Background Many childhood cancer survivors develop neurocognitive impairment, negatively affecting education and psychosocial functioning. Recommended comprehensive neuropsychological testing can be time- and cost- intensive for both institutions and patients and their families. It is important to find quick and easily administered surveillance measures to identify those in need of evaluation. Methods We evaluated, individually and in combination, the sensitivity and specificity of the 1) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning-Metacognition Index (BRIEF-MCI), and 2) CogState Composite Index (computerized assessment of cognition) in identifying below grade-level performance on state-administered tests of reading and mathematics among childhood cancer survivors. Results The 45 participants (39% female) were a mean age of 7.1 ± 4.4 years at diagnosis, 14.0 ± 3.0 at evaluation, with a history of leukemia (58%), lymphoma (9%), central nervous system tumors (20%), and other tumors (13%). Impairment on the BRIEF-MCI was associated with low sensitivity (26% reading, 41% mathematics) but stronger specificity (88% reading, 96% mathematics). We found similar associations for the CogState Composite Index with sensitivity of 26% for reading and 29% for mathematics and specificity of 92% for both reading and mathematics. Combining the two measures did not improve sensitivity appreciably (47% reading, 59% mathematics) while reducing specificity (84% reading, 88% mathematics). Conclusions While individuals identified from the BRIEF-MCI or CogState Composite would likely benefit from a full neuropsychological evaluation given the strong specificity, use of these measures as screening tools is limited. With poor sensitivity, they do not identify many patients with academic difficulties and in need of a full neuropsychological evaluation. Continued effort is required to find screening measures that have both strong sensitivity and specificity.

Background Recent estimates suggest an 11% prevalence of current late-life depression (LLD) and a lifetime prevalence of 16–20%. LLD leads to cognitive disturbance as well as a nearly two to three times increased risk of dementia. We conducted a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) which demonstrated that Sahaj Samadhi meditation (SSM), an easy-to-implement, meditation-based augmentation strategy, led to higher rates of symptom remission when compared to treatment as usual (40.0 vs 16.3%; odds ratio, 3.36; 95% CI 1.06–10.64; p = 0.040). Here we present a protocol describing a two-site, blinded, RCT, comparing an SSM arm to an active-control arm – a Health Enhancement Program (HEP) intervention – in their ability to reduce depressive symptoms and improve executive functioning, among several other exploratory outcomes. Methods/design One hundred and ninety-two (n = 192) participants with LLD will be recruited at two sites (London, ON, Canada, and Montreal, QC, Canada). Participants will undergo stratified randomization with regards to site and the presence of treatment-resistant-LLD (TR-LLD) or not, to either SSM or HEP. We will assess change in (1) depression severity using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), (2) executive functioning, and (3) other exploratory physiological and mood-based measures, at baseline (0 weeks), post intervention (12 weeks), and 26 weeks after baseline. Raters, clinicians, and care providers will be blinded to group allocation while participants will be blinded to the study hypotheses. Discussion This study should more definitively assess whether SSM can be used as an augmentation strategy in routine clinical care for patients suffering from LLD and TR-LLD. If the effects of SSM are significantly better than HEP, it will offer support for the routine use of this intervention to manage LLD/TR-LLD and comorbid declines in executive dysfunction. The results of this study could also inform whether SSM can improve/prevent cognitive decline in LLD. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03564041. Registered on 20 June 2018.

As a childhood-onset psychiatric disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is complicated by phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. Lifelong executive function deficits in ADHD are described in many literatures and have been proposed as endophenotypes of ADHD. However, its genetic basis is still elusive. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study of executive function, rated with Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), in ADHD children. We identified one significant variant (rs852004, P = 2.51e-08) for the overall score of BRIEF. The association analyses for each component of executive function found this locus was more associated with inhibit and monitor components. Further principle component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis provided an ADHD-specific executive function pattern including inhibit and monitor factors. SNP rs852004 was mainly associated with the Behavioral Regulation factor. Meanwhile, we found the significant locus was associated with ADHD symptom. The Behavioral Regulation factor mediated its effect on ADHD symptom. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analyses further showed evidence that this variant affected the activity of inhibition control related brain regions. It provided new insights for the genetic basis of executive function in ADHD.

Social functioning is critical for the successful navigation of everyday life for children, adolescents, and adults. Recent theories have postulated a neuropsychological basis for social functioning with particularly strong links with the executive functioning (EF) system. The current study examined attention problems as a mediator between EF (e.g., working memory, planning, and response inhibition) and social functioning in a child and adolescent outpatient sample. Participants were 218 children ages 6-16 (M = 10.23; SD = 2.52; 68.8 % males) who were referred to an outpatient clinic for psychoeducational assessment. Bias-corrected bootstrapping mediation analyses were used to examine the hypothesized models. The effects of working memory and planning (but not response inhibition) on social problems were mediated by attention problems in both teacher- and mother-reported models. These findings also held up in cross-source models (e.g., mother-reported attention problems as a mediator in a model predicting teacher-reported social problems). These findings have implications for dimensional models of social functioning and conceptual models for specific clinical populations (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).

We sought to characterize electrophysiological, eye-tracking and behavioral correlates of face-name recognition memory in healthy younger adults using high-density electroencephalography (EEG), infrared eye-tracking (ET), and neuropsychological measures. Twenty-one participants first studied 40 face-name (FN) pairs; 20 were presented four times (4R) and 20 were shown once (1R). Recognition memory was assessed by asking participants to make old/new judgments for 80 FN pairs, of which half were previously studied items and half were novel FN pairs (N). Simultaneous EEG and ET recording were collected during recognition trials. Comparisons of event-related potentials (ERPs) for correctly identified FN pairs were compared across the three item types revealing classic ERP old/new effects including 1) relative positivity (1R > N) bi-frontally from 300 to 500 ms, reflecting enhanced familiarity, 2) relative positivity (4R > 1R and 4R > N) in parietal areas from 500 to 800 ms, reflecting enhanced recollection, and 3) late frontal effects (1R > N) from 1000 to 1800 ms in right frontal areas, reflecting post-retrieval monitoring. ET analysis also revealed significant differences in eye movements across conditions. Exploration of cross-modality relationships suggested associations between memory and executive function measures and the three ERP effects. Executive function measures were associated with several indicators of saccadic eye movements and fixations, which were also associated with all three ERP effects. This novel characterization of face-name recognition memory performance using simultaneous EEG and ET reproduced classic ERP and ET effects, supports the construct validity of the multimodal FN paradigm, and holds promise as an integrative tool to probe brain networks supporting memory and executive functioning.

The goal of this study was to test whether the development of executive function in young children could add to the explained variance in child ritualistic behavior beyond child and maternal traits previously found to have explanatory power. Routinized, ritualistic behavior is common and normative in young children between the ages of 2 and 5, after which it subsides. In this cross-sectional study, maternal reports on 1345 children between the ages of 2 and 6 included child variables such as temperament, fears, and behavioral problems. Mother's characteristics included perfectionism, her attachment style, and trait anxiety. The sample included ultra-orthodox families, an understudied minority, and thus it was possible to compare their ritualistic behavior with that of children from other rearing environments. Ultraorthodox children had more ritualistic behavior than age-matched children. This finding offers support for an environmental influence on level of ritualistic behavior in children. For the entire sample, we found that young children's ritualistic behavior was associated with shy and emotional temperament, fears, pervasive developmental behavioral problems, and that executive function delays in shifting and emotion regulation had an additional contribution. Ritualistic child behavior was only weakly related to maternal variables. The results were consistent with a maturational process for the trajectory of ritualistic behavior, rather than with an environmentally induced behavior. The development of executive function may be the process mediating the decline of ritualistic behavior over development.

Working memory allows us to hold information in an active state for short periods of time, and is essential in facilitating goal directed cognitive functioning. Difficulties in working memory and decision-making are common post childhood Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Despite this, there is a paucity of research pertaining to implementation and effectiveness of interventions to reduce these common difficulties which impact significantly on one’s ability to function independently. One such intervention, Cogmed Working Memory Training Program, has shown success in improving working memory in other childhood clinical populations, but has received little evaluation in the TBI area. This study aims to evaluate whether Cogmed improves working memory and decision-making post childhood TBI and whether these benefits generalize to functional areas. The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Cogmed (RM version) intervention for children post-TBI. Children aged 7–15 years are initially screened for working memory impairments. Eligible participants are then randomized into either the treatment group (Cogmed) or the active-control group (Lexia Reading). Each group trains online for 50 min each day, 5 days per week, for 5 consecutive weeks. The online training is supported by online clinician meetings each week. Outcome neuropsychological and functional assessments are carried out immediately at the completion of the intervention and at 6 months follow-up. This study follows gold standard methodology in intervention research; uses a novel measure of decision-making; measures the effects of intervention on functional outcomes immediately and longer-term post intervention; uses online clinician support in order to allow more families easy access to the program; and promotes the use of technology to improve health services. If efficacious in improving working memory, decision-making, and functional outcomes, our team will then take a key role in implementing Cogmed into clinical care. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12617000085370 . Trial Registration Date: 16/01/2017. Protocol Version/Date: HREC 35181G/18.08.2017. Study Status: Ongoing.

The study aimed to examine whether Kurdish-Persian early Bilingual university students (EBL) and Persian Monolingual university students (ML) differ on tasks of executive function (EF). Thirty male EBL and 30 male ML students from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad completed a Persian Stroop Color-Word task (SCWT), Backward Digit Span Test (BDST), Raven Standard Progressive Matrices, and a demographic questionnaire. The results of an analysis of variance showed EBL students responded faster on the SCWT compared with ML students, suggesting an inhibition advantage for EBL students. Moreover, mean scores of BDST showed better performance of EBL students in working memory than ML students. These results provided evidence of advantaged EF among EBL and were consistent with the possibility that individuals who began speaking a second language (L2) earlier in childhood have greater advantages, due either to effects of acquiring an L2 earlier or to a longer duration of bilingual experience.

Heart failure (HF) is associated with high rates of depression. In turn, depression is associated with reduced heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of parasympathetic dysfunction and poorer cardiac outcomes. Cognitive impairment--especially executive dysfunction--is also highly prevalent in HF, but it is unknown whether executive function (EF) impacts the depression-HRV relationship. The primary objective of this paper is to examine whether EF moderates the relationship between depression and HRV in HF. Participants were 109 HF patients. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II. EF was assessed using a composite of age-adjusted T scores on the Frontal Assessment Battery, Trail Making Test B, and Stroop Color Word subtest. Parasympathetic function was assessed using resting high frequency HRV (HF-HRV). Multiple hierarchical regression was used to conduct BDI × EF moderation analyses. BDI scores were associated with reduced resting HF-HRV (p.05). No main effects were detected between EF and resting HF-HRV (p.05). However, EF moderated the relationship between BDI scores and resting HF-HRV (β = 0.59, p.01). Simple slope analyses revealed that among participants with poorer EF, higher BDI scores were associated with lower resting HF-HRV (p.001). Structural brain changes common in HF may contribute to lower EF, increased depression, and poorer autonomic functioning. Alternatively, the results may indicate that individuals with intact EF engage in self-care strategies that negate the detrimental impact of depression on autonomic function. Additional work is needed to clarify these possibilities and the potential benefits of treating depression in HF patients with different cognitive abilities.

This study characterizes longitudinal change in adaptive behavior in 64 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID) evaluated on multiple occasions, and examines whether prior estimate of executive function (EF) problems predicts future adaptive behavior scores. Compared to standardized estimates for their developmental stage, adaptive behavior in most participants was impaired and did not improve over time. Prior EF predicted later adaptive behavior in daily living skills and socialization domains after controlling for age and IQ. Self-monitoring behaviors robustly predicted later adaptive behavior in all domains (d = 0.60-0.94). Results support targeting treatment of adaptive skills in ASD, as well as the importance of assessing for EF problems that may contribute to adaptive behavior difficulties.

Reports of cognitive decline, particularly in the domains of executive functions (EFs), are common among menopausal women. This study aims to determine the impact of the psychostimulant lisdexamfetamine (LDX) on subjective and objective cognitive function among menopausal women who report new-onset EF complaints. Thirty-two healthy perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women experiencing mid-life-onset executive function difficulties as measured using the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (BADDS) were administered LDX 40–60 mg/day for 4 weeks in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Diagnosis of lifetime ADHD was exclusionary. BADDS total and subscale scores and performance on verbal memory and working memory tasks were outcomes of interest. Analyses revealed a significant effect of LDX treatment over placebo for total BADDS scores (p = 0.0001) and for four out of the five BADDS subscales (all p

Previous meta-analyses have identified moderate deficits in executive function (EF) in children born low birth weight (birth weight

Visuospatial working memory (VSWM) is the ability of the brain to transiently store and manipulate visual information. VSWM deficiencies have been reported in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but not consistently, perhaps due to variability in task design and clinical patient factors. To explore this variability, this study assessed effects of the design factors task difficulty and executive organizational strategy and of the clinical factors gender, OCD symptom dimension, and duration of illness on VSWM in OCD. The CANTAB spatial working memory, spatial recognition memory, delayed matching to sample, and stop signal tasks were administered to 42 adult OCD patients and 42 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Aims were to detect a possible VSWM deficit in the OCD sample, to evaluate influences of the above task and patient factors, to determine the specificity of the deficit to the visuospatial subdomain, and to examine effects of sustained attention as potential neurocognitive confound. We confirmed previous findings of a VSWM deficit in OCD that was more severe for greater memory load (task difficulty) and that was affected by task strategy (executive function). We failed to demonstrate significant deficits in neighboring or confounding neurocognitive subdomains (visual object recognition or visual object short-term memory, sustained attention). Notably, the VSWM deficit was only significant for female patients, adding to evidence for sexual dimorphism in OCD. Again as in prior work, more severe OCD symptoms in the symmetry dimension (but no other dimension) significantly negatively impacted VSWM. Duration of illness had no significant effect on VSWM. VSWM deficits in OCD appear more severe with higher task load and may be mediated through poor task strategy. Such deficits may present mainly in female patients and in (male and female) patients with symmetry symptoms.

The pathogenesis of executive dysfunction in geriatric depression remains uncertain although causal bidirectional relationships with depression have been discussed. Previous studies have described a potential link with ‘vascular depression’. In this study, we investigate the influence of vascular risk factors and magnetic resonance imaging markers of structural brain ageing, such as increasing deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH), on executive function in an age-homogeneous population-based study cohort. A total of 606 participants of identical age (75.8 years; standard deviation 0.45 years) took part in the baseline investigation of the Vienna Transdanube Ageing (VITA) study. Each participant underwent a full psychometric examination with standardised neuroimaging and clinical chemistry investigations. Participants were re-examined with the same protocol after exactly 30 and 60 months. Data refer to the individuals who completed the examination at baseline. In the ordinal logistic regression, fewer years of education (P

${\bf Background:}$ Despite attempts to improve diet at population level, people living in material and social deprivation continue to consume unhealthy diets. Executive function - the ability to regulate behaviour and resist impulses – is weaker in individuals living in deprivation. Dietary interventions that educate and persuade people to reflect on and actively change behaviour may therefore disproportionately benefit individuals who are socioeconomically advantaged and have stronger executive function, thus exacerbating inequalities in health resulting from unhealthy diets. In contrast, manipulating environmental cues, such as how far away a food is placed, does not appeal to reasoned action and is thought to operate largely outside of awareness to influence behaviour. People eat more of a food when it is placed closer to them, an effect seemingly robust to context, food quality and body-weight status. However, previous studies of this ‘proximity effect’ are limited by small samples consisting mainly of university staff or students, biased towards higher socio-economic position and therefore likely stronger executive function. This study aims to test the hypothesis that placing food further away from a person decreases intake of that food regardless of executive function. ${\bf Methods/Design:}$ 156 members of the general public, recruited from low and high socio-economic groups, will be randomised to one of two conditions varying in the proximity of a snack food relative to their position: 20 cm or 70 cm. Participants are told they will be taking part in a relaxation study – and are fully debriefed at the conclusion of the session. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants eating any amount of snack food and the secondary outcome is the mean amount eaten. Executive function is assessed using the Stroop task. ${\bf Discussion:}$ The proposed study takes a novel step by investigating the effect of proximity on snack food intake in a general population sample consisting of those with high and low executive function, appropriately powered to detect the predicted proximity effect. If this effect occurs irrespective of executive function and socio-economic position, it may have potential to reduce inequalities patterned by socio-economic position if implemented in real-world settings such as shops or restaurants., This study is supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Sackler Prize, a doctoral training grant awarded to JAH. The study was also partially funded by the Department of Health Policy Research Program (Policy Research Unit in Behavior and Health [PR-UN-0409-10109])., This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from BioMed Central via http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3184-9