{"id":295,"date":"2015-11-14T05:43:35","date_gmt":"2015-11-14T10:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroi\/?p=204"},"modified":"2015-11-24T11:04:19","modified_gmt":"2015-11-24T16:04:19","slug":"executive-function-a-key-in-child-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/2015\/11\/14\/executive-function-a-key-in-child-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Executive Function: A Key in Child Development"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>What is executive function?<\/h4>\n<p>Executive Function (EF) is the ability to connect, regulate and organize the different functional regions of the brain,\u00a0such as behavioral control, risk\/reward decision, reactions and responses, etc. Namely, in terms of problem solving, EF involves the ability to size up a problem, come up with a plan for solving the problem, and modify the plan when necessary changes are needed (Havasy).<\/p>\n<p>Generally, EF is considered to be divided into three components: inhibition (or inhibitory\/self control), working memory, and mental flexibility (or shifting).<\/p>\n<p>Inhibition is the ability to resist thinking or doing things that are tempting, but to control oneself focusing on the things that are proper or important. For example, if you have a test\u00a0tomorrow you will inhibit your desire to hang out with friends in order to study. This decision is a paradigm example of the first component of EF.<\/p>\n<p>Working memory is the ability of keeping information in mind where it can be manipulated. This ability or skill plays a\u00a0key role in performing cognitive tasks such as leaving home for school. \u00a0For example, getting dressed, having breakfast, packing your school bag, and taking the shuttle are a sequence of movements that is\u00a0stored in the working memory.<\/p>\n<p>Mental flexibility is the ability to switch from one task\/mental state to another. The idea of such shifting entails the ability to adjust what to do next according to the change of the request.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What does it have to do with kids?<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_216\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-216\" style=\"width: 322px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroi\/files\/2015\/11\/brain1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-216\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroi\/files\/2015\/11\/brain1-300x242.jpg\" alt=\"Anatomy of adult human brain, showing the different parts of the pre frontal cortex\" width=\"322\" height=\"260\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-216\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Anatomy of adult human brain, showing the different parts of the pre frontal cortex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The executive functions are associated with the prefrontal cortex of the frontal lobe, which is a part of the brain known to play a role in\u00a0decision making. Brain development takes time. The maturation of the prefrontal cortex in particular could take many\u00a0years (from infant to adulthood). During this period of time, the EF gradually develops as\u00a0the prefrontal cortex matures. If the child is not properly raised and educated, serious problems could occur from childhood into adulthood\u00a0when one enters society as a more independent individual.<\/p>\n<h4>Executive Function Issues<\/h4>\n<p>What are possible issues that could come from a lack of\u00a0proper development of\u00a0executive functions?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Difficulty in paying attention and can be easily distracted<\/li>\n<li>Not able to multitask<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty in making plans<\/li>\n<li>Has trouble figuring out how much time a task requires<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty in solving problems using previous knowledge<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All of these issues can lead to huge obstacles in one&#8217;s\u00a0daily life. Over time, the number of problems may increase. Children with poor EF could\u00a0be struggling in many\u00a0aspects of their lives such as\u00a0academic achievement and social interaction.<\/p>\n<p>What causes these problems?<\/p>\n<p>Generally speaking, there are three major reasons why children or adults might have executive function issues. The problem may be genetic (innate or inborn),\u00a0caused by a brain injury, or\u00a0be the result of one&#8217;s early childhood experiences.<\/p>\n<h4>Other problems related to Executive Functions<\/h4>\n<p>Usually, poor executive function is comorbid with other disorders since\u00a0the symptoms between them can be\u00a0quite similar. For example, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, which is widely known as ADHD, is one of the most common childhood brain-based disorder that exists\u00a0simultaneously with EF issues. In the video below, Dr. Barkley explains how these may be interrelated. Due to the similar symptoms, however, it is possible that an executive function\u00a0issue can be\u00a0misdiagnosed as ADHD (Morin).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroi\/files\/2015\/11\/brainmaps2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"  wp-image-217 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroi\/files\/2015\/11\/brainmaps2-300x162.jpg\" alt=\"brain functioning\" width=\"448\" height=\"242\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>How to help children develop better executive function<\/h4>\n<p>Early intervention can have a significant influence in\u00a0a child&#8217;s brain development, including the prefrontal cortex.\u00a0\u00a0Such intervention includes a system of services that focuses on helping babies and toddlers learn the basic and new skills that are typically developed during those early years of life.<\/p>\n<p>For example, during a parent-child intervention, the caregiver can encourage an\u00a0increase\u00a0in the quality of\u00a0interaction (sensitive responsiveness), creating security of attachment, and learning to \u00a0 collaborate well with the child.\u00a0Developing better\u00a0parent-child relationship can be a protective factor for children who may be exposed to\u00a0the negative effects of stressful circumstances such poverty.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ADHD and Executive Function - Dr. Russell Barkley\" width=\"774\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GR1IZJXc6d8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4>Reference<\/h4>\n<div id=\"copy-target-109487268\" class=\"bibliography-item-copy-text content col-md-12\" data-clipboard-target=\"copy-target-109487268\" data-redirect-=\"\">Overview of Early Intervention | Center for Parent Information and Resources. (2014, March 1). Retrieved November 14, 2015, from http:\/\/www.parentcenterhub.org\/repository\/ei-overview\/ <small><\/small><\/div>\n<div class=\"bibliography-item-copy-text content col-md-12\" data-clipboard-target=\"copy-target-109487268\" data-redirect-=\"\">Nicodemus, G. (n.d.). Executive Function &amp; Child Development. Retrieved November 14, 2015, from http:\/\/psychcentral.com\/lib\/executive-function-child-development\/<\/div>\n<div class=\"bibliography-item-copy-text content col-md-12\" data-clipboard-target=\"copy-target-109487268\" data-redirect-=\"\">Morton, B. (2013). Executive functions | Synthesis | Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development. Retrieved November 14, 2015, from http:\/\/www.child-encyclopedia.com\/executive-functions\/synthesis<\/div>\n<div class=\"bibliography-item-copy-text content col-md-12\" data-clipboard-target=\"copy-target-109487268\" data-redirect-=\"\">Morin, A. (2014, March 19). Understanding Executive Functioning Issues. Retrieved November 14, 2015, from https:\/\/www.understood.org\/en\/learning-attention-issues\/child-learning-disabilities\/executive-functioning-issues\/understanding-executive-functioning-issues#item2<\/div>\n<div class=\"bibliography-item-copy-text content col-md-12\" data-clipboard-target=\"copy-target-109487268\" data-redirect-=\"\">Havasy, S. (n.d.). Houston &#8211; Galleria. Retrieved November 14, 2015, from http:\/\/www.tarnowcenter.com\/tarnow-articles\/285-brain-development-and-executive-functioning.html<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is executive function?<br \/>\nExecutive Function (EF) is the ability to connect, regulate and organize the different functional regions of the brain,\u00a0such as behavioral control, risk\/reward decision, reactions and responses, etc. Namely, in terms of pr&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2311,"featured_media":316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32512,29790],"tags":[39418],"class_list":["post-295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-best-style","category-fall-2015","tag-executive-function","has-post-thumbnail-archive"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/files\/2015\/11\/brain.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2311"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/cognitiveneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}