Executive Functions Flashcards
Autism
A lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social interaction and communication, and specialized and intense interests
-No cure
-Brain develops differently
Key Features of Autism
-Difficulties in social comunications
-Restricted and repetitive behaviour patterns and interests
-Unique sensory processing
Difficulties in social communication
Difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication, understanding social cues, and forming relationships
Restricted and repetitive behaviour patterns and interests
Engaging in repetitive actions, movements, or routines, and a preference for consistency in daily activities
-E.g. if someone cancels plans –> big deal
Unique sensory processing
Over- or under-sensitivity to sensory stimuli (e.g. light, sound, texture) affecting the way individuals experience their environment
Executive Function (EFs)
-Autistic traits have been linked to differences in these
-Umbrella term that includes a range of higher-order cognitive functions, which are responsible for goal-directed behaviour
-Think of these as the ‘‘brain’s management system’’ or your internal CEO that helps you:
-stay organized
-make decisions
-resist distractions
-solve problems
-adapt when things change
Three Core EF’s
- Inhibitory control
- working memory
- cognitive flexibility
Together, they form the foundation for reasoning, problem-solving, planning
Inhibitory Control
Enables suppression of distracting stimuli in order to reach a goal
E.g. you are trying to focus on lecture and a classmate is distracting you, your brain will inhibit your classmate in order to focus
Working Memory
Allows us to retain, update, and manipulate information
E.g. remembering the question asked in order to answer all aspects of the question
Cognitive Flexibility
Allows us to switch between tasks and adjust to changes in context
E.g. snowy day ‘‘it’s a great day to have a picnic’’ allows you to switch from literal meaning to sarcastic meaning
the prefrontal cortex (PFC)
Executive functions are primarily supported by…
Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)
-One of the last brain regions to fully mature
-Its development continues for approximately three decades
-Undergoes the most substantial development during childhood and adolescence
People with ADHD
-This is directly linked to inhibitory control (have difficulty)
Which group of people perform poorer at the stroop colour naming task?
Inhibitory Control (Inhibition)
Allows us to:
-stay focused on a boring or repetitive task instead of giving in to distractions
-resist impulsive purchases and stick to our budget during a shopping trip
-say no to junk food when trying to maintain a healthy diet
-resist all kinds of temptations and regulate our behaviour in line with long-term goals
Working Memory
Allows us to:
-hold a question in mind while reading a long paragraph to find the answer
-do mental math, like calculating a tip in our head
-recall what someone just said in a conversation in order to respond meaningfully
-follow multi-step instructions
-Meaurements of this at school entry are strong indicators of later academic success. They predict acheivement in readings, spelling, and mathematics better than IQ scores and short-term memory ability
Cognitive Flexibility
Allows us to:
-try a new route to work when there’s traffic on our usual path
-adjust our opinion after hearing new, convincing evidence
-switch between work tasks when priorities shift
-change plans quickly when something unexpected comes up (e.g. a cancelled meeting)
-understand metaphors, sarcasm, and irony without taking things literally
-builds on inhibition and working memory; develops later
-E.g. arguing with someone who isn’t flexible feels like arguing with a child
Neurotypical Individuals: Childhood
EFs begin to develop in infancy with strong development seen from ages 3 to 12
-Near adult performance reached around age 12 or later
Neurotypical Individuals: Adolescence
Continued but subtle gains in EFs during adolescence
Neurotypical Individuals: Aging
-Declines in EFs begin in later adulthood
-Older adults experience slower stopping speeds and difficulties with suppressing irrelevant information
Autistic Individuals: Childhood
Mixed results exist, but those who are not in favor of autism report that autistic children experience difficulties across all EF components. These difficulties persist throughout development
Autistic Individuals: Adolescence
Some evidence shows gradual improvements in EFs over time, though these improvements are typically more limited compared to neurotypical development
-Autism is highly heterogeneous
-Autism is a spectrum; every individual is unique
Why do we observe mixed results on EFs in autistic individuals, and how can we better track the development of EFs?
Traditional EF Tasks
Highly controlled, standardized, and lack real-world context; may not capture the complexity of everyday EF
Informant-Based Measures
Tools like the Behavioural Rating Inventory Executive Functions (BRIEF) provide a more comprehensive assessment of EFs and can identify differences not captured by lab tasks, but can be very subjective
