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This study aimed to test the efficacy of a newly developed computer‐based game naming computerized executive functions (CEF) task on the reading ability of children suffering from dyslexia. Forty dyslexic school students from the fourth and fifth grades were randomized to one of the experimental and control groups. Subjects of the experimental group received 12 sessions of Computerized Executive Functions Training (CEFT), while subjects of the control group played a neutral computer game throughout the 12 sessions. All participants responded to the Reading and Dyslexia Test (NEMA) as the pre‐ and post‐test measure. Results revealed a significant improvement in the reading ability of subjects of the experimental group compared to the control group. Subjects of the experimental group indicated a greater improvement in some components of the NEMA scale including word reading, word chains reading, picture naming, text comprehension, word comprehension and letter fluency relative to the control group. CEFT had no significant effect in modifying the category fluency, phoneme elimination and rhyming components of the NEMA scale. Applying CEFT improves the reading performance of children with dyslexia by enforcing their cognitive abilities like working memory, inhibition control and cognitive flexibility which are necessary for normal reading ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive functions (EFs) are related abilities, associated with the frontal lobes functions, that allow individuals to modify behavioral patterns when they become unsatisfactory. The aim of this study was to assess EFs in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and in children with "specific language impairment" (SLI), compared with a control group of children with normal development, to identify specific skill deficits. Three groups of preschool children aged between 2 and 6 years were assessed: 19 children with normal hearing, cognitive, and language development, 10 children with SNHL, and 20 children with SLI. The FE-PS 2-6 Battery was used for the assessment of preschool EFs, supplemented with the Modified Bell Test for the analysis of selective attention. Statistically significant differences were found between the two experimental groups and the control one, regarding the investigated skills. Children with SNHL showed a clear deficit in flexibility, whereas children with SLI had greater problems in self-regulation and management of waiting for gratification. Selective attention was found to be deficient in all three groups, with no statistically significant differences. This study shows that the skills investigated were found to be deficient in both SNHL and SLI patients. It is essential to start targeted exercises based on specific deficient skills as part of the rehabilitation program. It is of great importance to understand the consequences of EF deficit in preschool children to achieve an accurate diagnosis and carry out customized rehabilitation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive advantage (CA) hypothesis claims that multilingualism promotes the development of several basic cognitive capacities. A large number of empirical findings support this hypothesis, but recently there have also been numerous contradictory findings and methodological objections. The present paper extends the investigation of possible cognitive advantages from basic cognitive (executive) functions to broader cognitive competencies such as cognitive flexibility. A promising candidate for this is 'flexibility of goal adjustment' (FGA), a capacity of developmental regulation that solves problems through flexible adaptation processes. In a study with N = 119 monolingual and multilingual adults we found the predicted positive correlation between multilingualism and FGA. However, the mediator function of executive capacities entailed in the CA hypothesis operationalised as Stroop and flanker tasks could not be demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the benefits of non-invasive brain stimulation in stroke patients to improve executive functions is scarce. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in combination with cognitive training for the rehabilitation of executive functions in acute and subacute stroke patients as well as to explore the underlying physiological mechanisms. A triple-blinded, randomized-controlled clinical trial will be conducted involving 60 stroke patients with frontal or basal ganglia lesions and a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score less than 26. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive active tDCS (anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, cathode at the right supraorbital region, 20 min at 2 mA) or sham tDCS in a 1:1 ratio for 10 sessions, followed by targeted executive function training. The primary efficacy outcome will be the MoCA score, while secondary outcomes will include the five-digit test (inhibitory control), the Digit Span Task (working memory), the abbreviated version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting test (cognitive flexibility), modified Rankin scale (functional state), Beck-II depression inventory, apathy evaluation scale, and the WHOQOL-BREF (quality of life), assessed immediately after the intervention and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Additionally, resting-state functional connectivity and blood biomarkers, such as neurotrophins, growth factors, and inflammatory molecules, will be evaluated before and after the intervention. This study will contribute to the investigation of the efficacy of tDCS in rehabilitating executive functions in acute and subacute stroke patients. The multidimensional approach utilized in this study, which includes analysis of resting-state connectivity and neuroplasticity-related blood biomarkers, is expected to provide insights into the underlying brain mechanisms involved in the rehabilitation of dysexecutive syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments investigated the effect of sustained cognitive control engagement on syntactic ambiguity resolution. Participants heard (Experiment 1) or read (Experiment 2) garden path sentences like "Put the kiwi on the rectangle on the circle", in which "on the rectangle" could temporarily reflect either a destination of "Put" or modifier of "kiwi", and they viewed visual arrays with a kiwi on a rectangle and an empty rectangle and circle. Cognitive control was manipulated experimentally by interleaving sentence trials among either mostly incongruent or mostly congruent Stroop trials. Across both experiments, garden path mouse cursor movements to incorrect destinations were reduced when sentence trials were interleaved among mostly incongruent Stroop trials, and in Experiment 2, garden path reading time effects were also reduced in this condition. These results suggest that a high proportion of incongruent trials supports the sustained engagement of cognitive control and causally improves sentence comprehension across (i.e. spoken and written) modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To determine the association between neurological soft signs, executive functions, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Serum BDNF levels were measured in 87 drug-naive boys with ADHD, aged 7--12 years. The Revised Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs for neurological soft signs, Stroop Color-Word Test for attention functions, and Judgment of Line Orientation Test (JLOT) for visuospatial abilities were performed. Results: Age correlated negatively with dysrhythmia, total time, and total overflow in timed movements, Stroop Color-Word Time (SCWT), and serum BDNF levels. The JLOT significantly negatively correlated with Total Gaits and Stations (P1) and Total Time in Timed Movements (adjusted R2 = 0.247). In addition, SCWT maintained a significant correlation with Total Overflow in Timed Movements (adjusted R2 = 0.206). There was no correlation between serum BDNF levels and NSS. Conclusion: The association between NSS, visuospatial abilities, and selective attention may express a maturational delay in ADHD pathophysiology. Moreover, BDNF may play a role in this maturational delay. Future studies should investigate the contribution of BDNF to neuronal maturation in ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Executive function (EF) plays a crucial role in children's reading. However, previous studies were based on offline products of reading comprehension. Online research is needed to reveal the core mechanisms underlying children's reading processing. By measuring children's working memory (WM) and cognitive flexibility (CF), we investigated whether individual differences in EF could modulate sentence processing and, if so, how they exert their roles. Methods: The present study manipulated semantic congruency and the association between crucial words in a sentence. We recruited 89 Chinese children aged 9–12 years and monitored their eye movement. Results: The study revealed distinct associations between reader‐ and text‐related characteristics, as evidenced by eye‐movement patterns during reading. A significant incongruency effect was observed in reading, underscoring the children's capacity to discern incongruent information. Children's WM and CF were found to modulate this process. Specifically, high‐WM children showed more effective integration of incongruent information when the textual context was closely related during the later‐stage processing. In contrast, low‐WM children faced more challenges with incongruent words. Additionally, CF was influential during the early processing period. High‐CF children exhibited longer early‐stage reading times for incongruent words in associated contexts. Conclusions: Individual differences in EF can modulate children's online sentence processing. However, different EF components may play different roles. Highlights: What is already known about this topicA positive association exists between children's EF and reading, which often relies on offline products of reading comprehension.In children's sentence processing, sentence congruency and word association are the text features that require specific attention.The few studies investigating whether individual differences in EF modulate the processing of sentence congruency and word association have almost exclusively involved adults. What this paper addsChildren exhibit longer reading times for incongruent words, highlighting the cognitive demand of incongruencies.WM plays a modulatory role during the later stages of sentence processing.CF influences children's reading during the early processing period. Implications for theory, policy or practiceEF is a crucial cognitive basis that supports children's reading processing.WM and CF can underlie learning differences, especially when the focus of reading instruction switches from 'learning to read' to 'reading to learn'.Reading interventions that support reading‐related WM and CF may be especially beneficial for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive and linguistic factors have been incorporated into models to explain reading comprehension beyond classical models of reading. This study explores the contribution of executive functions, mainly domain‐general and reading‐specific cognitive flexibility, in reading comprehension of science texts in monolingual Spanish speaking upper elementary students. Methods: A total of 275 Chilean students from fourth to sixth grade participated in this study. They were evaluated in working memory, inhibition, reading fluency, domain‐general and reading‐specific cognitive flexibility, academic vocabulary and science reading comprehension. Results: The results show that cognitive flexibility is a variable that explains performance in science reading comprehension across elementary grades. Furthermore, reading domain‐specific cognitive flexibility was found to be the variable that explains additional performance in science reading comprehension above inhibition, reading fluency, academic vocabulary and domain‐general cognitive flexibility in Grade 4 and Grade 5, but not in Grade 6. Conclusions: These results suggest the contribution of cognitive variables such as cognitive flexibility in explaining performance in reading comprehension of science texts. The need to develop cognitive tests specific to reading domain is also discussed. Highlights: What is already known about this topic Executive functions have been included in models to explain reading comprehension.It is well known that the structure of text, narrative or expository influences the cognitive processes necessary for comprehension.Cognitive flexibility is a variable associated with reading comprehension. What this paper adds Cognitive flexibility explains science text reading comprehension from fourth to sixth grade.Reading‐specific cognitive flexibility is associated with science text reading comprehension in fourth to fifth grade.Reading‐specific cognitive flexibility explains additional variance above domain‐general cognitive flexibility. Implications for theory, policy or practice Cognitive flexibility plays a relevant role in explaining reading comprehension of scientific texts.Models of reading comprehension should be adjusted to include variables like cognitive flexibility.It is necessary to study reading specific measures of executive function assessment over general domain measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The INECO Frontal Screening (IFS) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) are executive dysfunction (ED) screening tools that can distinguish patients with neurodegenerative disorders from healthy controls and, to some extent, between dementia subtypes. This paper aims to examine the suitability of these tests in assessing early-onset cognitive impairment and dementia patients. Method: In a memory clinic patient cohort (age mean = 57.4 years) with symptom onset at ≤65 years, we analyzed the IFS and the FAB results of four groups: early-onset dementia (EOD, n = 49), mild cognitive impairment due to neurological causes (MCI-n, n = 34), MCI due to other causes such as depression (MCI-o, n = 99) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD, n = 14). Data were gathered at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. We also studied the tests' accuracy in distinguishing EOD from SCD patients and ED patients from those with intact executive functioning. Correlations with neuropsychological measures were also studied. Results: The EOD group had significantly (p <.05) lower IFS and FAB total scores than the MCI-o and SCD groups. Compared with the FAB, the IFS showed more statistically significant (p <.05) differences between diagnostic groups, greater accuracy (IFS AUC =.80, FAB AUC =.75, p =.036) in detecting ED and marginally stronger correlations with neuropsychological measures. We found no statistically significant differences in the EOD group scores from baseline up to 6- or 12-months follow-up. Conclusions: While both tests can detect EOD among memory clinic patients, the IFS may be more reliable in detecting ED than the FAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Any high-risk behavior can cause serious and sometimes irreparable harm to the individual and family. High-risk behavior often occurs in an emotionally-charged context, and executive functions and emotion regulation play important roles in risk-related decision making. Therefore, identifying the factors that facilitate and sustain risky behaviors in different groups is an inevitable necessity. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the structural relationship between executive functions and high-risk behaviors in prisoners considering the mediating role of emotion regulation strategies. Methods: The present study is descriptive and correlational, conducted by structural equation modeling method. The statistical population of this study is all prisoners in Shiraz city. The sample consisted of 409 prisoners in Shiraz who were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected using Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire (Nejati 2013), Emotion Regulation Strategies (Garnefski et al., 2001), and Youth Risk Behaviors Scale (Snow et al., 2019). To evaluate the proposed model, structural equation modeling was used using AMOS version 24 and SPSS 27. Results: The results of correlation coefficient showed that there is a negative relationship between executive functions and adaptive emotion regulation strategies with risky behaviors (P< 0.05). Also, there is a positive and significant relationship between maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and risky behaviors (P< 0.05). The findings indicate that the proposed model is fitted with the data. The results of the structural model showed that 19% of the variance of adaptive strategies and 25% of variance of maladaptive strategies is explained by executive functions and 45% of variance of risky behaviors is explained by executive functions and adaptive and maladaptive strategies of emotion regulation. Conclusion: It can be concluded that risky behaviors are affected by cognitive and emotional functions and cognitive emotion regulation strategies have a mediating role in this regard, which requires psychological interventions. Our results suggest that treatment for high-risk behavior may be more effective with a nuanced approach that does not conflate high impulsivity necessarily with high-risk behavior tendencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic exposure to stress from adverse early experiences such as armed conflict can generate long-term changes in various neurotransmitter systems and cortical structures involved in the individual's ability to respond appropriately to the social context. Child victims of armed conflict show difficulties in executive functioning and social cognition that impact adaptability. The objective of this exploratory study was to evaluate the efficacy of a sociocognitive intervention on the executive behaviors, including executive functioning and social cognition, of children who are victims of conflict. The sample consisted of 26 children aged between 6 and 11 years (M = 8.58, SD = 1.65) and was divided into two equal groups. The treatment condition (N = 13) received 16 sessions of the sociocognitive intervention. Compared to the standard treatment group, the intervention group had large posttreatment effect sizes (Cohen's d > 0.8) on variables of executive functioning, social cognition, and executive behaviors. The results obtained reveal the importance of intervening cognition and behavior in unfavorable social contexts and in early stages of development. Public Significance Statement: This exploratory study shows the importance of carrying out neuropsychological interventions in children affected by the Colombian armed conflict, considering their family life, socioeconomic experiences, and the nature of the violence they faced. In addition, this article contributes to the study of armed conflicts from a neuropsychological perspective, a scientific discipline that is underexplored in contexts of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between cerebral hemodynamics and cognitive impairment has been reported in neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular disorders (CVD). However, it is still unclear whether changes occur in the acute phase of CVD. Here we investigated cognitive and hemodynamic parameters and their association in patients with CVD during the acute and subacute phases. Seventy-three patients with mild stroke, not undergoing endovascular treatment, were recruited. All subjects were devoid of intracranial or external carotid stenosis, significant chronic cerebrovascular pathology, dementia or non-compensated cardiovascular diseases. Patients were evaluated within 7 days from symptoms onset (T1) and after 3 months (T2). Clinical and demographic data were collected. NIHSS, MoCA, FAB, and Word-Color Stroop test (WCST) were used to evaluate disease severity and cognitive functions. Basal hemodynamic parameters in the middle cerebral artery were measured with transcranial Doppler. Differences between T2 and T1, correlations between cognitive and hemodynamic variables at T1 and T2, as well as correlations between the T2-T1 variation in cognitive and hemodynamic parameters were assessed. At T1, cognitive performance of MoCA, FAB, and WCST was lower compared with T2; and pulsatility index, a parameter reflecting distal vascular resistance, was higher. However, no correlations between the changes in cognitive and hemodynamic variables were found; therefore, the two seems to be independent phenomena. In the acute phase, the linear association between cerebral blood flow and cognitive performances was lost, probably due to a differential effect of microenvironment changes and vascular-specific phenomena on cognition and cerebral hemodynamics. This relationship was partially restored in the subacute phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some cognitive abilities are suggested to be the result of a complex social life, allowing individuals to achieve higher fitness through advanced strategies. However, most evidence is correlative. Here, we provide an experimental investigation of how group size and composition affect brain and cognitive development in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). For 6 months, we reared sexually mature females in one of 3 social treatments: a small conspecific group of 3 guppies, a large heterospecific group of 3 guppies and 3 splash tetras (Copella arnoldi)—a species that co-occurs with the guppy in the wild, and a large conspecific group of 6 guppies. We then tested the guppies' performance in self-control (inhibitory control), operant conditioning (associative learning), and cognitive flexibility (reversal learning) tasks. Using X-ray imaging, we measured their brain size and major brain regions. Larger groups of 6 individuals, both conspecific and heterospecific groups, showed better cognitive flexibility than smaller groups but no difference in self-control and operant conditioning tests. Interestingly, while social manipulation had no significant effect on brain morphology, relatively larger telencephalons were associated with better cognitive flexibility. This suggests alternative mechanisms beyond brain region size enabled greater cognitive flexibility in individuals from larger groups. Although there is no clear evidence for the impact on brain morphology, our research shows that living in larger social groups can enhance cognitive flexibility. This indicates that the social environment plays a role in the cognitive development of guppies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semantic Fluency (SF) increases with age, along with the lexicon and the strategies to access it. Among the cognitive processes involved in controlling lexical access, Executive Functions (EF) play an essential role. Nevertheless, which EF, namely inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, are specifically tapped by SF during preschool years, when these basic EF components are developing and differentiating, is still unknown. The study had a two-fold aim: 1. to analyze in preschoolers the role of EF basic components on SF; 2. to investigate if EF mediated the effect of age on SF. A total of 296 typically developing preschoolers (M age = 57.86; SD = 9.91; month range = 33--74) were assessed with an SF task and EF tasks measuring the main EF basic components. Results showed that during preschool, response inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility were significant predictors of SF, explaining 27% of its variance. Moreover, the effect of age on the SF task performance correlated with the improvement of these EF components. This study supports the importance of considering cognitive control processes in 3--6 year-old preschoolers as they underline important competencies for the child's development, such as the ability to quickly access vocabulary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short duration of sleep and poor sleep quality have been linked to poor attention and impulse control in children. We aimed to determine the longitudinal predictive value of sleep quantity and quality during early childhood on objective and caregiver-report measures of attention, impulse control, and executive function in children at age 8 years. We used data from the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a pregnancy and birth cohort. Caregivers reported on their child's sleep at ages 2, 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 years. Analysis included 410 participants. We used longitudinal growth curve models of early childhood sleep patterns to predict neurobehavioral functioning at age 8 years. Sleep problems did not predict any of our outcome measures at age 8 years. Sleep duration trended shorter as children matured, so predictive models examined both intercept and slope. Children with the least decline in sleep duration across early childhood had fewer impulsive errors at age 8 years on a continuous performance test (unadjusted p = .013; adjusted p = .013). Children with shorter duration of sleep across early childhood had worse caregiver-reported behavioral regulation at age 8 years (unadjusted p = .002; adjusted p = .043). Neither sleep duration slope nor intercept predicted inattention or metacognitive skills at age 8 years (p > .05). Total sleep time across early childhood predicts behavior regulation difficulties in school-aged children. Inadequate sleep during early childhood may be a marker for, or contribute to, poor development of a child's self-regulatory skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detrimental effect of math anxiety on math performance is thought to be mediated by executive functions. Previous studies have primarily focused on trait‐math anxiety rather than state‐math anxiety and have typically examined a single executive function rather than comprehensively evaluating all of them. Here, we used a structural equation modeling approach to concurrently determine the potential mediating roles of different executive functions (i.e., inhibition, switching, and updating) in the relationships between both state‐ and trait‐math anxiety and math performance. A battery of computer‐based tasks and questionnaires were administered to 205 university students. Two relevant results emerged. First, confirmatory factor analysis suggests that math anxiety encompassed both trait and state dimensions and, although they share substantial variance, trait‐math anxiety predicted math performance over and above state‐math anxiety. Second, working memory updating was the only executive function that mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; neither inhibition nor switching played mediating roles. This calls into question whether some general proposals about the relationship between anxiety and executive functions can be extended specifically to math anxiety. We also raise the possibility that working memory updating or general cognitive difficulties might precede individual differences in math anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive aging research has studied the influence of healthy aging on the ability to multitask. Yet, little is known about the factors that might improve or impair serial multitasking performance in older adults. Three experiments involving younger and older adults assessed the impact of interruptions and planning on a prop-based test of multitasking. In Experiment 1, 26 younger adults and 25 older adults' multitasking abilities were assessed; older adults performed significantly more poorly than younger adults. In Experiment 2, 19 younger and 22 older adults were randomly allocated to a group who experienced a one minute unexpected interruption while multitasking or a group with no interruption. The results showed that, when there was an interruption, the age difference disappeared. In Experiment 3, 32 younger and 30 older adults were randomly allocated to a group who were given 3 minutes to write an outline describing how they intended to approach the multitasking task, and another group who were given 3 minutes to label pictures of everyday objects prior to multitasking. Again, when participants were encouraged to plan, no age difference was found. These results highlight the advantage that interruptions and planning might have on serial everyday multitasking performance in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Médica Clínica Las Condes is the property of Editorial Sanchez y Barcelo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of a behavioural program in improving the executive functions of students with intellectual disabilities. The study sample consisted of 38 students. There were 20 participants in the experimental group, 11 males and 9 females, and 18 in the control group. The students' ages ranged between 7 and 14 years. Teachers implemented the Institutes of Intellectual Education program in Al-Ahsa during the 2022/2023 academic year. An executive function scale and a training program based on behaviour modification strategies were used to reveal the program's effectiveness. The validity and reliability of the tools were calculated. A semi-experimental approach was used according to the simple design. A t-test was used to analyse the results. The study effectively identified the effectiveness of behaviour modification strategies in improving the executive functions of students with intellectual disabilities. It showed statistically significant differences in the executive functions scale between simple and severe disabilities and between moderate and severe disabilities. The study recommends more diverse behavioural measures to improve the executive functions of students with intellectual disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Japanese Journal of Learning Disabilities / LD Kenkyu is the property of Japan Academy of Learning Disabilities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista CES Psicologia is the property of Universidad CES and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study mainly intended to disentangle the role played by physical reserve as a mediator of the relationship between cognitive reserve and global cognitive functioning in older people aging well. A sample of 120 67–101-year-old community-dwellers was recruited in the Sardinian Blue Zone, an area characterized by the extreme longevity of its inhabitants. Each respondent completed a battery of tests examining cognitive functioning, perceived physical health, cognitive reserve, and physical reserve (objectively assessed through accelerometric-derived measures). Significant associations were found among measures of cognitive reserve, physical reserve, perceived physical health, and cognition. Besides, two mediational analyses pointed out that physical reserve and distinct indexes of cognitive reserve explained 18% and 32% of the variance associated with global cognitive functioning. In conclusion, the combination of high cognitive reserve and more preserved motor functioning seems to contribute to the maintenance of healthy cognition in older people aging well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is one of the cognitive profiles of senility. It is classified into amnestic and nonamnestic MCI depending on the involvement of different cognitive func- tions. This research aims to design a cognitive rehabilitation software based on the attention process model and investigate its effect on the attention and executive functions of older people with nonamnestic mild cognitive impairment. Methods This quasi-experimental research employed a pre-test-post-test and follow-up design. After designing the software program, 30 older people over 60 who were diagnosed with nonamnestic mild cognitive impairment through NUCOG (Neuropsychiatry Unit Cognitive Assessment Tool) screening and a psychiatrist who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group (each with 15 people). To perform the rehabilitation intervention, a software system was designed based on Mateer and Sohlberg attention process training, whose validity and reliability have been confirmed in Iranian older adults. After the pre-test, the experimental group received the rehabilitation intervention with the software, and the control group did not receive anything. Three months after the completion of the sessions, both groups were assessed as the post-test, and the results were compared using an analysis of covariance and the Mann-Whitney U test using SPSS software, version 26. Results The results indicated significant differences between the post-test scores of the experimental and control groups in the mean score of errors in congruent and incongruent selective attention, execu- tive function score, time and error in alternating attention in the colors trail test A form (CTT-A) and time in alternating attention in CTT-B and also time and error in separated attention (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups post-test mean scores in selective attention time, time and error in sustained attention, and error in CTT-B alternating attention (P>0.05). The intervention did not cause any significant improvement in these domains. Also, the results were sustained after 3 months. Conclusion The results confirmed the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation interventions. The designed cognitive rehabilitation software in this research can cause a significant improvement in attention and executive functions of patients with nonamnestic mild cognitive impairment. It can be used as a clinical intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This arti cle presents case studies of the relative ability of two subjects (OB1 and OB2) to make lexical associations; they have spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and Parkinson's disease, respectively. Test method: subjects gave associations (orally, with no time limit) to 63 verbal stimuli presented on a computer screen. Verbal stimuli were selected from Gatkowska's experimental study (Gatkowska 2017). Responses were recorded on an Olympus 650 digital voice recorder, then analysed linguistically and psychologically. Results: psychological analysis - subjects within intellectual norm (Raven's Matrices test), dysarthric disorder, difficulty in implementing instructions. Linguistic analysis: OB1 - predominance of paradigmatic relations (hyponymy, meronymy, synonymy) over syntagmatic relations (difficulty building context), lack of causality. OB2 -- richer paradigmatic relations (hyponymy, meronymy, synonymy, antonymy, complementarity), syntagmatic relations diverse. Conclusions: possible complex background of language disorders (executive, emotional), higher level of language functioning of OB2 compared to OB1. The study illustrates the need for an interdisciplinary and holistic approach in diagnostic and therapeutic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), if severe, is usually treated with stimulant or non-stimulant medication. However, users prefer non-drug treatments due to side effects. Alternative non-medication treatments have so far only shown modest effects. External trigeminal nerve stimulation (eTNS) is a minimal risk, non-invasive neuromodulation device, targeting the trigeminal system. It was approved for ADHD in 2019 by the USA Food and Drug administration (FDA) based on a small proof of concept randomised controlled trial (RCT) in 62 children with ADHD showing improvement of ADHD symptoms after 4 weeks of nightly real versus sham eTNS with minimal side effects. We present here the protocol of a larger confirmatory phase IIb study testing efficacy, longer-term persistency of effects and underlying mechanisms of action. Methods: A confirmatory, sham-controlled, double-blind, parallel-arm, multi-centre phase IIb RCT of 4 weeks of eTNS in 150 youth with ADHD, recruited in London, Portsmouth, and Southampton, UK. Youth with ADHD will be randomized to either real or sham eTNS, applied nightly for 4 weeks. Primary outcome is the change in the investigator-administered parent rated ADHD rating scale. Secondary outcomes are other clinical and cognitive measures, objective hyperactivity and pupillometry measures, side effects, and maintenance of effects over 6 months. The mechanisms of action will be tested in a subgroup of 56 participants using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after the 4-week treatment. Discussion: This multi-centre phase IIb RCT will confirm whether eTNS is effective in a larger age range of children and adolescents with ADHD, whether it improves cognition and other clinical measures, whether efficacy persists at 6 months and it will test underlying brain mechanisms. The results will establish whether eTNS is effective and safe as a novel non-pharmacological treatment for ADHD. Trial registration: ISRCTN82129325 on 02/08/2021, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN82129325. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic exposure to odours (olfactory training, OT) is a method of smell loss treatment. Due to olfactory system projections to prefrontal brain areas, OT has been hypothesized to enhance cognitive functions, but its effects have been studied predominantly in adults. This study tested OT effects on working memory (WM), i.e., the ability to store and manipulate information for a short time, in healthy children aged 6-9 years. We expected OT to improve olfactory WM and establish cross-modal transfer to visual and auditory WM. Participants performed 12 weeks of bi-daily OT with either 4 odours (lemon, eucalyptus, rose, cloves; OT group) or odourless propylene glycol (placebo group). Pre- and post-training, participants’ WM was measured utilizing odours (olfactory WM) or pictures (visual WM) and a word-span task (auditory WM). 84 children (40 girls) completed the study. The analyses revealed no changes in the WM performance following OT. The olfactory WM task was the most difficult for children, highlighting the need to include olfactory-related tasks in educational programmes to improve children’s odour knowledge and memory, just as they learn about sounds and pictures. Further neuroimaging research is needed to fully understand the impact of OT on cognitive functions in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to assess the convergence, feasibility, and acceptability of the Oxford Digital Multiple Errands Test (OxMET) and the in-person Multiple Errands Test–Home version (MET-Home). Participants completed OxMET, MET-Home, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and questionnaires on activities of daily living, depression, technology usage, mobility, and disability. Forty-eight stroke survivors (mean age 69.61, 41.67% female, and average 16.5 months post-stroke) and 50 controls (mean age 71.46, 56.00% female) took part. No performance differences were found for healthy and stroke participants for MET-Home, and only found below p = .05 for OxMET but not below the corrected p = .006. Convergent validity was found between MET-Home and OxMET metrics (most r ≥ .30, p < .006). MET-Home accuracy was related to age (B = −.04, p = .03), sex (B = −.98, p = .03), disability (B = −0.63, p = .04), and MoCA (B = .26, p < .001), whereas OxMET accuracy was predicted by MoCA score (B = .40, p < .001). Feedback indicated that the OxMET was easy and fun and more acceptable than the MET-Home. The MET-Home was more stressful and interesting. The MET tasks demonstrated good convergent validity, with the OxMET digital administration providing a more feasible, inclusive, and acceptable assessment, especially to people with mobility restrictions and more severe stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current theoretical models of writing suggest that cognitive and motivational processes interact with each other during written production. However, despite the growing interest in motivational variables in writing, there are still few efforts to study them together with cognitive variables. Therefore, this study aimed to test the possibility that the cognitive processes of transcription and executive functions may be related to writing performance, through their link with the writing-motivational variables of self-efficacy and attitudes. For that, 157 Portuguese third and fourth graders planned and completed one opinion essay, performed transcription tasks, and completed motivation-related questionnaires. Furthermore, schoolteachers completed an executive function questionnaire about each student and provided their school grades. Results showed that motivation, specifically self-efficacy, did not predict Grade 3 and 4 writing performance. However, attitudes were predictors of written planning and text length. More specifically, attitudes and handwriting fluency contributed to text length just as attitudes and spelling accuracy contributed to written planning. There was no evidence of indirect effects from cognitive variables on writing performance via motivation variables. These findings provide original information on the links between cognition and motivation in writing, which may be useful to guide the teaching of writing. In line with effective instructional approaches to writing, current findings further support the importance of jointly targeting the cognitive and affective dimensions of writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Substance use disorder (SUD) is associated with executive function (EF) deficits and sensory modulation dysfunction (SMD). Yet, these deficits are not addressed therapeutically. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Functional-Cognitive and Sensory Treatment (F-CaST) compared to standard care to improve everyday performance and behavior and length of stay at the therapeutic community (TC) in individuals with SUD. In addition, to assess the improvement in EF, sensory modulation, participation, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and use of strategies within and between groups. Satisfaction with F-CaST will also be assessed. Methods: Forty-eight participants from a community of men in a TC, aged 18–45 years will be randomly allocated to (i) F-CaST—(experimental group) providing sensory and EF strategies for improving daily function; (ii) standard care (control group) as provided in the TC. Assessments will be conducted by assessors blind to group allocation at 4 time points: T1- pre-intervention; T2- post-intervention; T3- 1-month follow-up; and T4- 3-month follow-up. Primary outcome measures will be everyday performance, assessed by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), behavior and length of stay in the TC; secondary outcome measures will assess EF, SMD. Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews will be conducted at T1, T2 and T4. Discussion: We hypothesize that F-CaST will lead to improved everyday performance and longer length of stay in the TC, compared to the control group. If F-CaST will prove to be effective, cognitive and sensory strategies may be incorporated as an adjunctive intervention in SUD rehabilitation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05647863 Registered on 13 December 2022, https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05647863. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Executive functions (EFs) are relevant for game performance in soccer and have been investigated in previous research. However, emotions are a well-known performance factor in sport competitions, which may affect performance by means of EFs. The diagnostic of EFs has mainly been performed disregarding the potential impact of emotional states. Thus, we aimed to initially analyze interaction between emotional states and EFs in two studies with male youth elite soccer players. Methods: In the first study, 105 players (Mage = 14.97) completed computerized tasks assessing inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory. In the second study, 92 players (Mage = 15.17) performed adapted and validated tests of inhibition (n  =  45) or cognitive flexibility (n  =  47) in a soccer-specific setting (SoccerBot360). Emotional and affective states were assessed using the German Sport Emotion Questionnaire and self-assessment manikins. Results: For the computerized tasks, results showed a significant negative correlation between switch costs accuracy and tension, r  =  0.28, indicating lower error rates with higher levels of tension. In contrast, in the SoccerBot360 we found significant positive correlations for response time and tension (no-switch: r  = 0.38; switch: r  = 0.39) representing prolonged response times related to tension. Further, for soccer-specific inhibition, positive emotions were significantly positively correlated with response time (congruent: r  = 0.32; incongruent: r  = 0.32). Subsequent regression analyses also demonstrate that valence and arousal effectively explain variance in cognitive performance parameters under neutral conditions. Discussion: Accordingly, the ambiguity of the results suggests high variability in EF performance, affective and emotional states as well as a potentially moderating influence of other variables such as context and task difficulty. Thus, future cognitive diagnostic research should integrate assessments of emotional and affective states as these may contribute to situational fluctuations in EF performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is important to address individual and interpersonal factors involved in behavioral problems to prevent their serious consequences. This study investigated the mediating role of executive functions in the correlation between intelligence and student-teacher relationship with behavioral problems. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a descriptive-correlational approach. The statistical population included the students of the first grade to third grade in Bojnord, Iran. Using the cluster sampling method, two elementary schools (first period) were selected for data collection from February 2023 to April 2023. The study participants were 351 students aged 6 to 10 years old. The parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL/6-18), and Behavioral rating inventory of executive functions (BRIEF). The teachers completed the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) for each student, and the students were tested individually by the Colored Progressive Matrices Test (CPMT). The data were analyzed using PLS version 4 and SPSS version 22 by correlation test and structural equation model. Results: The findings showed that executive functions have a significant impact on behavioral problems (β=0.43, P<0.001) and the intelligence and conflicts in the student-teacher relationship strongly affect executive functions (β=-0.44, P<0.001, and β=0.41, P<0.001, respectively). Also, our results showed that intelligence and conflicts in the student-teacher relationship indirectly through executive functions affect behavioral problems (β=-0.19, P<0.001, and β=0.17, P<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Positive teacher-student relationships are vital for improving self-regulation skills, academic performance, and emotional and social well-being of elementary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct assessments of executive functions (EFs) are increasingly used in research and clinical settings, with a central assumption that they assess "universal" underlying skills. Their use is spreading globally, raising questions about the cultural appropriateness of assessments devised in Western industrialized countries. We selectively reviewed multidisciplinary evidence and theory to identify sets of cultural preferences that may be at odds with the implicit assumptions of EF assessments. These preferences relate to motivation and compliance; cultural expectations for interpersonal engagement; contextualized vs. academic thinking; cultural notions of speed and time; the willingness to be silly, be incorrect, or do the opposite; and subject-matter familiarity. In each case, we discuss how the cultural preference may be incompatible with the assumptions of assessments, and how future research and practice can address the issue. Many of the cultural preferences discussed differ between interdependent and independent cultures and between schooled and unschooled populations. Adapting testing protocols to these cultural preferences in different contexts will be important for expanding our scientific understanding of EF from the narrow slice of the human population that has participated in the research to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Impairments in episodic future thinking and anticipatory pleasure were noted to explain the depressive symptoms in adults however similar studies are not there in adolescents. This study examined whether there are impairments in episodic future thinking and anticipatory pleasure in clinically-depressed adolescents as compared to non-depressed adolescents, and their association with depression when controlled for executive functions and anxiety symptoms among the depressed adolescents. Methods: The study included 29 adolescents with major depression and 29 adolescents from local schools through convenient sampling technique. All the participants were assessed with standardized measures of depression and anxiety, episodic future thinking, anticipatory pleasure and executive functioning. Results: Depressed adolescents significantly differed from the non-depressed adolescents in autobiographical memory specificity, anticipatory pleasure, and specific dimensions of executive functions. The ANCOVAs indicated executive function slightly attenuated group differences on future specificity which were still non-significant (all p 's >.05). For memory specificity and for anticipatory pleasure, group differences were still significant at p <.05 level. Conclusion: Adolescents with major depressive episode may display similar, but less pronounced, impairments in future thinking than what is previously reported in adults. Though, autobiographical specificity is prominent. The deficits are attributable to depression than executive functioning deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with CP show deficits in executive function compared to their typically developing peers, based on the majority of the available evidence. However, the magnitude of these deficits, as well as the proportions of the shortfalls in the three main components, have not yet been examined. This is the first meta-analysis to synthesize evidence on the magnitude of differences between patients with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically developing populations in different components of executive function skills (working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility), and thus makes recommendations on which areas of executive functioning are in greatest need of intervention. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search of four databases for studies that measured executive functions in these two groups until 31 August 2023. We calculated the standardized mean difference (Hedges' g), an average effect size overall, and for the three components of executive function skills separately, we used several moderator analyses, including methodological differences between the primary studies. Results: Fifteen articles were included in the meta-analysis. The average mean difference in executive functioning overall was large (g+ = −0.82). Furthermore, large significant differences were found in working memory (g+ = −0.92) and inhibitory control (g+ = −0.82) and a moderate difference was identified in cognitive flexibility (g+ = −0.57). In addition, results of moderator analyses reveal the importance of a rigorous matching of control group participants and CP patients. Conclusions: The results demonstrate a severe impairment in all executive functions among CP patients compared to typically developing peers, which do not decrease over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apathy is a behavioral symptom prevalent both in neuropsychiatric pathologies and in the healthy population. However, the knowledge of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying apathy is still very limited, even if clinical and fMRI data support the existence of three forms of apathy (executive, emotional, initiative). These forms could be explained by the alteration of specific mechanisms. This present study's aim is to specify the cognitive and neuronal mechanisms of executive and emotional apathy. We used an EEG study conducted on 68 subjects comprising two groups of young people with specific executive or emotional phenotypes of apathy and one group with no apathy. Despite having symptom of apathy, participants were free of any neurological, metabolic, or psychiatric diagnoses and with high education. Two tasks were used: the DPX for cognitive control and the MID for motivation. Our results showed that distinct mechanisms underlie these two forms of apathy, and, for the first time, we specified these mechanisms. A deficit of the proactive control mode, reflected by a reduced probe-N2 amplitude in AY trials, underlies the executive form of apathy (p <.03), whereas liking motivational blunting, highlighted by a reduced LPP amplitude for financial loss, characterizes the emotional form (p <.04). The main limit of the results is that generalizability to the general population may be reduced since the apathetic samples were chosen for having a specific form of apathy. To conclude, better knowledge of these mechanisms informs new, more targeted treatments, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, necessary for reducing the debilitating consequences of apathy. [Display omitted] • Specific cognitive and neuronal mechanisms for executive and emotional apathy. • A deficit of the proactive control mode underlies the executive apathy. • The emotional apathy is characterized by liking motivational blunting. • These mechanisms inform new pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a disease caused by mutations in the ATM gene (11q22.3-23.1) that induce neurodegeneration Sasihuseyinoglu AS et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol Pulmonol 31(1):9–14, 2018, Teive HAG et al. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 46:3–8, 2018. Clinically, A-T is characterized by ataxia, mucocutaneous telangiectasia, immunodeficiency, and malignancy. Movement disorders have been the most described and well-studied symptoms of A-T. Other studies have reported visuospatial processing disorders, executive function disorders and emotional regulation disorders, which are clinical manifestations that characterize cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS) Choy KR et al. Dev Dyn 247(1):33–46, 2018. To describe the neurocognitive and emotional state of pediatric patients with ataxia-telangiectasia and to discuss whether they have cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. This observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive study included 9 patients with A-T from May 2019 to May 2021. A complete medical history was retrieved, and tests were applied to assess executive functions, visual-motor integration and abilities, language, psychological disorders, and ataxia. Six girls and 3 boys agreed to participate. The age range was 6 to 14 years. The participants included five schoolchildren and four teenagers. Eight patients presented impaired executive functioning. All patients showed some type of error in copying and tracing (distortion) in the performance of visual perceptual abilities. Emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression were observed in six patients. Eight patients presented with dyslalia and impairments in word articulation, all patients presented with ataxia, and seven patients used a wheelchair. All patients presented symptoms consistent with CCAS and had variable cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problems with executive function (EF) are considered a hallmark of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the developmental pathway of everyday EF in these two groups, and whether the two groups follow a similar or different developmental course. In this longitudinal study, children and adolescents with ADHD (n = 84, Mage = 11.6, SD = 2.0), ASD (n = 38, Mage = 12.0, SD = 2.3), and typically developing children (TDC; n = 50, Mage = 11.6, SD = 2.0) were clinically diagnosed and assessed with parent-ratings of everyday EF at baseline and at two-year follow-up (97% retention). Results showed that both individuals with ADHD and individuals with ASD displayed elevated levels of everyday EF problems relative to the TDC at baseline (Hedges g = 1.99 to 2.99). Over the two-year period, everyday EF improved in individuals with ADHD relative to the TDC, whereas individuals with ASD displayed no improvement relative to the TDC. At two-year follow-up, individuals with ADHD and individuals with ASD continued to display elevated levels of everyday EF problems relative to the TDC (Hedges g = 1.61 to 3.19). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ketamine administration leads to a psychotomimetic state when taken in large bolus doses, making it a valid model of psychosis. Therefore, understanding ketamine's effects on brain functioning is particularly relevant. This meta-analysis focused on neuroimaging studies that examined ketamine-induced brain activation at rest and during a task. Included are 10 resting-state studies and 23 task-based studies, 9 of which were measuring executive functions. Using a stringent statistical threshold (TFCE <0.05), the results showed increased activity at rest in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and increased activation of the right Heschl's gyrus during executive tasks, following ketamine administration. Uncorrected results showed increased activation at rest in the right (anterior) insula and the right-fusiform gyrus, as well as increased activation during executive tasks in the rostral ACC. Rest-state studies highlighted alterations in core hubs of the salience network, while task-based studies suggested an impact on task-irrelevant brain regions. Increased activation in the rostral ACC may indicate a failure to deactivate the default mode network during executive tasks following ketamine administration. The results are coherent with alterations found in schizophrenia, which confer external validity to the ketamine model of psychosis. Studies investigating the neural mechanisms of ketamine's antidepressant action are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually the central executive is considered as a single capacity in the insight studies which leads to inconsistent results on the link between the central executive of working memory and insight. We suppose a more detailed view on the process of insight solution in which various executive functions could be important at different solution stages: updating is necessary to build a problem's representation, inhibition—to overcome the impasse, shifting—to restructure the problem's representation. These assumptions were not confirmed in an experiment via dual-task paradigm and cognitive load. We did not find the relation between executive functions and solution stages, but we demonstrated that the more complexity of dual-task, the more cognitive load in problem solving. Moreover, the highest load of executive functions is observed at the end of insight solution. We speculate that the loading occurs either due to decrease of the free space in working memory storage systems, or due to a resource-intensive event (for example, representational change). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive impairment and chronic fatigue represent common characteristics of the long COVID syndrome. Different non-pharmacological treatments have been proposed, and physiotherapy has been proposed to improve the symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a dual-task augmented reality rehabilitation protocol in people with long COVID fatigue and cognitive impairment. Methods and materials: Ten non-hospitalized adults with reported fatigue and "brain fog" symptoms after COVID (7/10 females, 50 years, range 41–58) who participated in 20 sessions of a 1-h "dual-task" training, were compared to 10 long COVID individuals with similar demographics and symptoms (9/10 females, 56 years, range 43–65), who did not participate to any rehabilitation protocol. Cognitive performance was assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT-A and -B) and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and cardiovascular and muscular fatigue were assessed with the fatigue severity scale (FSS), six-minute walking test and handgrip endurance. Finally, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) investigated cortical excitability. Results: The mixed-factors analysis of variance found a significant interaction effect only in cognitive performance evaluation, suggesting TMT-B execution time decreased (− 15.9 s, 95% CI 7.6–24.1, P = 0.001) and FAB score improved (1.88, 95% CI 2.93–0.82, P = 0.002) only in the physiotherapy group. For the remaining outcomes, no interaction effect was found, and most parameters similarly improved in the two groups. Conclusion: The preliminary results from this study suggest that dual-task rehabilitation could be a feasible protocol to support cognitive symptoms recovery after COVID-19 and could be helpful in those individuals suffering from persisting and invalidating symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Distrophinopathies are a heterogeneous group of neuromuscular disorders due to mutations in the DMD gene. Different isoforms of dystrophin are also expressed in the cerebral cortex and Purkinje cells. Despite cognitive abnormalities in Duchenne muscular dystrophy subjects that have been described in the literature, little is known about a comprehensive cognitive profile in Becker muscular dystrophy patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess cognitive functioning in Becker muscular dystrophy patients by using an extensive neuropsychological battery. Our hypothesis is that the most impaired functions are the highly intentional and conscious ones, such as working memory functions, which require a prolonged state of cellular activation. Methods: We performed an extensive neuropsychological assessment on 28 Becker muscular dystrophy patients from 18 to 65 years old. As control subjects, we selected 20 patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, whose clinical picture was similar except for cognitive integrity. The evaluation, although extended to all areas, was focused on prefrontal control skills, with a distinction between inhibitory processes of selective attention and activating processes of working memory. Results and conclusions: Significant underperformances were found exclusively in the Dual Task and PASAT tests, to demonstrate a selective impairment of working memory that, while not causing intellectual disability, reduces the intellectual potential of patients with Becker muscular dystrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that patients with neurological disorders without overt seizures may also experience accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF). This term describes unimpaired learning and memory performance after standard retention intervals, but an excessive rate of forgetting over delays of days or weeks. The objective of this retrospective study was to investigate ALF in patients with an acquired brain injury (ABI) and to associate memory performance with executive functions. Verbal memory performance (short-term recall, 30-min recall, 1-week recall) was assessed in 34 adult patients with ABI and compared to a healthy control group (n = 54) using an auditory word learning and memory test. Repeated measure analysis showed significant effects of time and group as well as interaction effects between time and group regarding recall and recognition performance. Patients with ABI had a significantly impaired 1-week recall and recognition performance compared to the healthy control group. Correlations between recall performance and executive functions were nonsignificant. Our results demonstrate that non-epileptic patients with ABI, especially patients with frontal and fronto-temporal lesions, are prone to ALF. Additionally, our data support the assumption that ALF results from a consolidation impairment since verbal recall and recognition were impaired in patients with ABI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the training package enhancement lateral domination over the components of executive functions including: initiation, working memory, planning, organizing and monitoring and visual perception components including: Visual-spatial relationship, visual form-constancy, visual sequential-memory and visual figure-ground of children with specific learning disabilities. The method of the present study was experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. From elementary school children from 7 to 12 years old who were diagnosed with specific learning disabilities in psychology clinics in Tehran in 2020, 30 people were randomly selected and then randomly replaced in two groups of 15 experimental and control. The Edinburgh inventory and Delacato Neurodevelopmental Scale, TVPS-R Visual Perception Test and Brief’s Behavioral Rating Scale of Executive Functions were used to collect data. The results of the analysis of covariance showed that the training package had an effect on executive functions (p <0.01 and F = 8.47) and visual perception (F=10.20 and P<0/01) in children with specific learning disabilities in the experimental group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined whether atypical sensory processing (ASP) deteriorate executive function (EFs), anxiety and quality of life (QoL) of children with ADHD. Participants were 28 boys with ADHD; 31 with ADHD + ASP; 56 with typical development. Parents completed the Short Sensory Profile (SSP); BRIEF; RCMAS (anxiety) and PedsQoL. Boys with ADHD + ASP had the lowest EFs, highest anxiety and lowest QoL. ASP predicted lower social QoL; Anxiety predicted lower emotional QoL; reduced EFs predicted lower school QoL. ASP in ADHD may increase anxiety, reduce EFs and QoL. ASP should be screened with respect to child's cognitive/emotional status and daily function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in publications exploring the health benefits of cognitive stimulation and movement across various age groups. This study provides a comprehensive overview of current cognitive stimulation and movement research by conducting a bibliometric analysis of significant international papers published between 2012 and 2022. The insights obtained from this study provide valuable guidance for future research initiatives in this area. A total of 72 publications from primary search engines (Web of Science and Scopus) were included in this analysis. Using an ex post facto retrospective design, the information was classified to facilitate subsequent analysis of various variables, including temporal, demographic, linguistic, production, citation, and methodological factors. The primary findings reveal that most publications are focused on the medical domain, with a considerable emphasis on research concerning Alzheimer's disease. Among the countries, England and Switzerland are the most prominent contributors, with Romero-Naranjo being the most prolific author. Noteworthy scholars such as Abraha, Rimland, Trotta, Dell'Aquila, Cruz-Jentoft, Petrovic, Gudmundsson, Soiza, O'Mahony, Guaita, and Cherubini are identified as the most frequently cited. Furthermore, single-category journals and second-order papers are prevalent in the literature. In terms of publication impact, the second quartile (Q2) is predominant, with BMJ Open emerging as the most cited journal. The combination of movement and cognitive stimulation has significant potential for academic advancement, impacting motor skills (such as coordination, balance, or planning) and enhancing the learning process, memory, and concentration across various educational stages. However, the field of education remains relatively underexplored in terms of investigating the influence of cognitive stimulation and movement. Therefore, there is a pressing need for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well‐known that children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorder (SLD) often exhibit behavioural and emotional problems. However, little is known about how these problems compare between the two groups of children. This study sought to fill this gap in knowledge by comparing the executive functions and behavioural–emotional problems of children with ADHD, SLD and typically developing children. For this study, 94 children were recruited through purposeful sampling (ADHD = 23, SLD = 30 and TD = 41). All participants were screened based on WISC‐IV. Subsequently, participants were administered executive functions and behavioural problems questionnaires. The analysis of the data using MANOVA and Scheffe post hoc pairwise shows that children with ADHD and SLD had significantly higher scores on measures of executive function impairment than typically developing children. Our study revealed that children in the ADHD group scored significantly higher in social problems, aggressive behaviours, AD/HD problems, ODD, conduct problems and externalizing problems sub‐tests. Conversely, the LD group demonstrated higher scores in the anxiety problems sub‐test. Furthermore, Our study demonstrated that children in the ADHD group scored significantly higher in the following sub‐tests: metacognition, inhibit, shift, bri, shift and emotion control. In contrast, the LD group exhibited higher scores in the initiate sub‐test. In addition, the two groups of children with disorders also exhibited more behavioural–emotional problems than typically developing children. These findings suggest that ADHD and SLD are associated with impaired executive function and increased behavioural–emotional problems. These findings have implications for the assessment and treatment of these disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to update a systematic review of instruments for evaluating the executive functions (EFs) in a pediatric population to assess their measurement properties. Studies describing evaluation tools of EFs were systematically searched on four electronic databases: PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus, and Web of Science. To be included studies had to be on a population aged 0 to 18 were included. The individuals were either healthy or presented a neurodevelopment disorder. Risk of Bias was evaluated through the Consensus-based Standards to select the health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). The search was conducted on April 2023. Eighty-four papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study; the studies refer to 72 different evaluation tools of EFs. Most of the studies analyzed through a methodological quality analysis received an 'adequate' score. The instrument most mentioned was the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 (BRIEF2) in seven articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Reading comprehension skills, which involve numerous executive functions (EFs), are crucial for the academic success of school-aged children. Because children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties with language comprehension and EFs, achieving reading comprehension may be challenging for them. This study evaluated the distinct contributions of language comprehension and EF components to reading comprehension in order to reveal the possible mechanisms underlying poor reading comprehension among children with ADHD. A total of 69 Chinese-speaking children aged 8–12 years who were typically developing (TD, n = 36) or had ADHD (n = 33) participated in this study. All participants were assessed through intelligence, reading, and language comprehension tests. EF skills were measured using a verbal working memory (WM) test and four behavior tasks: the go/no-go task, a spatial WM (SWM) task, the Tower of London (ToL) task, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST). Results indicated that the ADHD group exhibited significantly lower language and reading comprehension scores than did the TD group. Moreover, the TD and ADHD groups had equivalent ToL scores but notably different go/no-go, WCST, SWM, and verbal WM test scores. After age, sex, and nonverbal intelligence quotient were controlled for, hierarchical regression models revealed the contributions of language skills to reading comprehension in both groups, but the contributions of EFs differed between the groups. Inhibition and verbal WM were significant predictors of reading comprehension in the ADHD group. In sum, the abilities to disregard irrelevant information and maintaining linguistic information of multiple episodes are important for Chinese-speaking children with ADHD to build a coherent mental representation of the text during reading comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]