Lecture 6
Executive functioning
Executive functioning
Why do we want to know about executive functioning (EF)?
- Behavior -> other people often say that the person with executive functioning problems are a
completely different person, even though they don’t even know it.
- Executive functioning is the most difficult domain to diagnose, and also the most difficult
domain to rehabilitate.
Definition of executive functioning
- It is not the same as the frontal lobe -> EF is saying something about a process/task, whereas
frontal lobe says something about a structure.
- It is not the same as the prefrontal lobe.
- It is not the same as intelligence -> intelligence is some kind of basic capacity you have in
order to deal with problems. EF is extremely important in dealing with novelty, inhibition
etc.
Evolution of the frontal lobe
- Humans have the largest frontal lobe of all species.
- Frontal lobe and executive function are things that distinguishes humans from animals.
- The brain and thus frontal lobe keep developing until 25 years.
Video’s marshmallow tasks
- In the first video, children got a marshmallow, and if they did not eat it in the time the
experimenter was gone, they would get a second one.
- In the second video, the children have more (in their idea) control, because they can get the
women back if ring the bell. However, it is an additional load for the working memory.
Study of Boelema (2014)
- Relation of alcohol to the brain especially in adolescence.
- SES -> provides solid ground, but not the outcome level. Children from higher SES have a
higher baseline in their EF. But at the age of 19, SES does not predict anything, thus children
with lower SES will compensate.
- Boys later than girl, but in the end the boys often outperform.
Principles of executive functioning
Challenges for NP tasks
- Inherited principle 1 -> tests of executive function often measure multiple cognitive abilities
simultaneously.
- Inherited principle 2 -> tests of executive function do not just test frontal lobe function. They
may be failed by patients with dysfunction elsewhere as well.
- Inherited principle 3 -> the characteristics of the best clinical and the best experimental tests
of executive function may differ since their aims differ.
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Executive functioning
Executive functioning
Why do we want to know about executive functioning (EF)?
- Behavior -> other people often say that the person with executive functioning problems are a
completely different person, even though they don’t even know it.
- Executive functioning is the most difficult domain to diagnose, and also the most difficult
domain to rehabilitate.
Definition of executive functioning
- It is not the same as the frontal lobe -> EF is saying something about a process/task, whereas
frontal lobe says something about a structure.
- It is not the same as the prefrontal lobe.
- It is not the same as intelligence -> intelligence is some kind of basic capacity you have in
order to deal with problems. EF is extremely important in dealing with novelty, inhibition
etc.
Evolution of the frontal lobe
- Humans have the largest frontal lobe of all species.
- Frontal lobe and executive function are things that distinguishes humans from animals.
- The brain and thus frontal lobe keep developing until 25 years.
Video’s marshmallow tasks
- In the first video, children got a marshmallow, and if they did not eat it in the time the
experimenter was gone, they would get a second one.
- In the second video, the children have more (in their idea) control, because they can get the
women back if ring the bell. However, it is an additional load for the working memory.
Study of Boelema (2014)
- Relation of alcohol to the brain especially in adolescence.
- SES -> provides solid ground, but not the outcome level. Children from higher SES have a
higher baseline in their EF. But at the age of 19, SES does not predict anything, thus children
with lower SES will compensate.
- Boys later than girl, but in the end the boys often outperform.
Principles of executive functioning
Challenges for NP tasks
- Inherited principle 1 -> tests of executive function often measure multiple cognitive abilities
simultaneously.
- Inherited principle 2 -> tests of executive function do not just test frontal lobe function. They
may be failed by patients with dysfunction elsewhere as well.
- Inherited principle 3 -> the characteristics of the best clinical and the best experimental tests
of executive function may differ since their aims differ.
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