Search results for " Executive functions."
showing 10 items of 24 documents
A computational approach for the assessment of executive functions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder
2019
Previous studies on obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) showed impairments in executive domains, particularly in cognitive inhibition. In this perspective, the use of virtual reality showed huge potential in the assessment of executive functions; however, unfortunately, to date, no study on the assessment of these patients took advantage of the use of virtual environments. One of the main problems faced within assessment protocols is the use of a limited number of variables and tools when tailoring a personalized program. The main aim of this study was to provide a heuristic decision tree for the future development of tailored assessment protocols. To this purpose, we conducted a study that…
Facial emotion recognition in children and adolescents with specific learning disorder
2020
(1) Background: Some recent studies suggest that children and adolescents with different neurodevelopmental disorders perform worse in emotions recognition through facial expressions (ER) compared with typically developing peers. This impairment is also described in children with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), compromising their scholastic achievement, social functioning, and quality of life. The purpose of our study is to evaluate ER skills in children and adolescents with SLD compared to a control group without learning disorders, and correlate them with intelligence and executive functions. (2) Materials and Methods: Our work is a cross-sectional observational study. Sixty-three chil…
The effect of age on cognitive performance of frontal patients
2015
Age is known to affect prefrontal brain structure and executive functioning in healthy older adults, patients with neurodegenerative conditions and TBI. Yet, no studies appear to have systematically investigated the effect of age on cognitive performance in patients with focal lesions. We investigated the effect of age on the cognitive performance of a large sample of tumour and stroke patients with focal unilateral, frontal (n=68), or non-frontal lesions (n=45) and healthy controls (n=52). We retrospectively reviewed their cross sectional cognitive and imaging data. In our frontal patients, age significantly predicted the magnitude of their impairment on two executive tests (Raven's Advanc…
Break in volition: a virtual reality study in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
2013
Research in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) produced inconsistent results in demonstrating an association between patients’ symptom severity and their cognitive impairments. The process involved in volition aspects of behavioral syndromes can be extensively analyzed using specific tests developed in virtual environments, more suitable to manipulate rules and possible breaks of the normal task execution with different, confusing or stopping instructions. The study involved thirty participants (15 OCD patients and 15 controls) during task execution and the relative interferences. At this purpose, the virtual version of Multiple Errands Test was used. Virtual reality setting, with a higher…
Executive functioning in autism spectrum disorders: a case-control study in preschool children.
2019
Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurobehavioral and developmental conditions that include impairments in a triad of behavioral domains: social development, communication and repetitive behavior/obsessive interests. This case-control study aims to assess executive functioning in ASD preschoolers. Methods: A sample of 50 children participated in the study (24 males and 26 females; age ranged between 2.7 and 3.5 years). The study sample was subdivided into two groups: 25 ASD children and 25 typically developing children as a control group. All participants were administered the BRIEF-P test to assess executive functioning. Results: The two groups were counterbalanced for age an…
Executive functioning in preschool children affected by autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study
2017
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a complex set of neurological dysfunction and development characterized by deficits in social and non-verbal interaction. Few studies have explored the executive functioning in ASD preschoolers. The aim of this pilot study is the assessment of executive functioning in preschool children with ASD. Material and methods: 8 ASD children (7 males, 1 female) mean age 3.09 (SD ± 0.83 years) were enrolled in the study and compared with a control group of 15 typically developing children (12 males, 3 females) (mean age 24.3 ± 0.61). All subjects underwent assessment of executive functioning with the BRIEF-P test. Results: The two groups were matched …
Physical fitness and motor coordination monitoring during enriched sport activities in a sample of children living in Europe. The Esa Program
2018
Enriched Sport Activities Program (ESA) is an Evidence-based Practice Exercise Program cofounded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union (Key action:Sport - 579661-EPP1-2016-2-IT-SPO-SCP). It aims to enhance social inclusion, equal opportunities and psycho-physical well being in school-age children with typical development and special needs trough sport activities enriched by cognitive tasks. A multidisciplinary approach has been employed; in detail, health - and skills-related physical fitness components, as well as developmental psychology and neuroscience research are the theoretical basis to implement an evidence-based program suitable to increase sport compliance in 7 different…
Fronto-parietal homotopy in resting-state functional connectivity predicts task-switching performance
2021
Homotopic functional connectivity reflects the degree of synchrony in spontaneous activity between homologous voxels in the two hemispheres. Previous studies have associated increased brain homotopy and decreased white matter integrity with performance decrements on different cognitive tasks across the life-span. Here, we correlated functional homotopy, both at the whole-brain level and specifically in fronto-parietal network nodes, with task-switching performance in young adults. Cue-to-target intervals (CTI: 300 vs. 1200 ms) were manipulated on a trial-by-trial basis to modulate cognitive demands and strategic control. We found that mixing costs, a measure of task-set maintenance and moni…
The cerebral localization of executive functions
2018
Executive Functions (EFs) are a complex neuropsychological tool that can lead all action of daily-life indipendently from age. The attempt to associate specific regions of the central nervous system (CNS) with specific sensory functions, motor and cognitive skills is one of the most recurring themes in the history of neuroscience. The concept of cerebral localization of mental activities started from the formulations of beginning phrenologists in Nineteenth century, passing through the holistic conceptions and antilocalization that marked some periods of the Twentieth century, until the beginning of the new millennium, characterized by the enormous popularity of the techniques of functional…
Knowledge gaps and future directions in cognitive functions in children and adolescents with primary arterial hypertension: A systematic review
2022
Arterial hypertension (AH) among adults is known to be associated with worse cognitive outcomes. Similarly, children and adolescents with AH could be expected to underperform during neuropsychological evaluations when compared with healthy peers. Our aims were to review the existing literature on cognitive functioning among children and adolescents with primary AH and to identify what additional evidence may be needed to substantiate the impact of hypertension on poor cognitive outcomes in this population. We conducted a systematic review of articles in PubMed and Web of Science published before 17 January 2022, reporting on cognitive testing among children and adolescents with primary AH. …