Executive function and impulse control

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لِيَسۡتَـٔۡذِنكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَبۡلُغُواْ ٱلۡحُلُمَ مِنكُمۡ ثَلَٰثَ مَرَّٰتࣲۚ مِّن قَبۡلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ وَحِينَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَابَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظَّهِيرَةِ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡعِشَآءِۚ ثَلَٰثُ عَوۡرَٰتࣲ لَّكُمۡۚ لَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ جُنَاحُۢ بَعۡدَهُنَّۚ طَوَّٰفُونَ عَلَيۡكُم بَعۡضُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣱ‏

Believers, your slaves and any who have not yet reached puberty should ask your permission to come in at three times of day: before the dawn prayer; when you lay your garments aside in the midday heat; and after the evening prayer. These are your three times for privacy; at other times, there is no blame on you or them if you move around each other freely. In this way God makes messages clear: God is all knowing, all wise

وَإِذَا بَلَغَ ٱلۡأَطۡفَٰلُ مِنكُمُ ٱلۡحُلُمَ فَلۡيَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُواْ كَمَا ٱسۡتَـٔۡذَنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣱ‏

When your children reach puberty, they should [always] ask your permission to enter, like their elders do. This is how God makes His messages clear to you: God is all knowing, all wise

قَالُوٓاْ أَضۡغَٰثُ أَحۡلَٰمࣲۖ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِتَأۡوِيلِ ٱلۡأَحۡلَٰمِ بِعَٰلِمِينَ

They said, ‘These are confusing dreams and we are not skilled at dream-interpretation,’

بَلۡ قَالُوٓاْ أَضۡغَٰثُ أَحۡلَٰمِۭ بَلِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُ بَلۡ هُوَ شَاعِرࣱ فَلۡيَأۡتِنَا بِـَٔايَةࣲ كَمَآ أُرۡسِلَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ

Some say, ‘Muddled dreams’; others, ‘He made it up’; yet others, ‘He is just a poet, let him show us a sign as previous messengers did.’

أَمۡ تَأۡمُرُهُمۡ أَحۡلَٰمُهُم بِهَٰذَآۚ أَمۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمࣱ طَاغُونَ

does their reason really tell them to do this, or are they simply insolent people

(O ye who believe! Let your slaves, and those of you who have not come to puberty, ask leave of you�) [24:58]. Said ibn �Abbas: �The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, sent a boy from the Helpers, called Mudlij ibn �Amr, to �Umar ibn al-Khattab, May Allah be pleased with him, after noon to summon him. When he entered in, he saw �Umar in a state which the latter disliked to be seen in. And so he said to the Prophet: �O Messenger of Allah, I wish that Allah, exalted is He, give us some commands and prohibitions regarding asking permission before entering�. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse�. Said Muqatil: �This verse was revealed about Asma� bint Marthid. She had a slave-boy who was quite old and he happened to enter in on her one day at a time in which she disliked him to enter in on her. She went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him

O you who believe let those whom your right hands own of male slaves and female slaves and those of you who have not reached puberty from among the free men and who have not become sexually aware of women ask leave of you three times at three times of the day before the dawn prayer and when you put off your garments at noon and after the night prayer. These are three periods of privacy for you read thalāthu ‘awrātin lakum with nominative inflection as the predicate of an implied subject followed by a genitive annexation with the annexed term standing in place thereof of the predicate in other words the implied predicate followed by the annexation is hiya awqāt ‘these are times of …’; or read thalātha ‘awrātin lakum in the accusative the implication being that awqāta is itself in the accusative as a substitute for the syntactical status of what precedes it in place of which stands the ann

And when the children among you O free men reach puberty let them seek permission at all times just as those now older free men sought permission before them. So God clarifies His signs for you and God is Knower Wise.

O you who believe! Let your slaves and slave-girls, and those among you who have not come to the age of puberty ask your permission on three occasions: before the Fajr prayer, and while you put off your clothes during the afternoon, and after the 'Isha' prayer. (These) three (times) are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on you or on them to move about, attending to each other. Thus Allah makes clear the Ayat to you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (58)And when the children among you come to puberty, then let them (also) ask for permission, as those senior to them (in age) ask permission. Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat for you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (59)And the Qawa'id among women who do not hope for marriage, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain is better for them

They said this is ‘A jumble a mixture of dreams! And we are not knowledgeable in the interpretation of dreams’.

And the king (of Egypt) said: "Verily, I saw (in a dream) seven fat cows, whom seven lean ones were devouring, and seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry. O notables! Explain to me my dream, if it be that you can interpret dreams (43)They said: "Mixed up false dreams and we are not skilled in the interpretation of dreams. (44)Then the man who was released, now at length remembered and said: "I will tell you its interpretation, so send me forth. (45)(He said): "O Yusuf, the man of truth! Explain to us seven fat cows whom seven lean ones were devouring, and seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry, that I may return to the people, and that they may know. (46)[Yusuf] said: "For seven consecutive years, you shall sow as usual and that which you reap you shall leave it in the ears, (all) except a little of it which you may eat. (47)"Then will come after that, seven hard (yea

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ الْبَزَّازُ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ حَسَّانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ مَصْبُورَةٍ كَاذِبًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ بِوَجْهِهِ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Narrated Imran ibn Husayn: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone swears a false oath in confinement, he should make his seat in Hell on account of his (act)

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى، وَهَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ هُوَ فِيهَا فَاجِرٌ لِيَقْتَطِعَ بِهَا مَالَ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَانُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الأَشْعَثُ فِيَّ وَاللَّهِ كَانَ ذَلِكَ كَانَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ أَرْضٌ فَجَحَدَنِي فَقَدَّمْتُهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لِيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَلَكَ بَيِّنَةٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ لاَ ‏.‏ قَالَ لِلْيَهُودِيِّ ‏"‏ احْلِفْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذًا يَحْلِفُ وَيَذْهَبُ بِمَالِي فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏{‏ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَيْمَانِهِمْ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً ‏}‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ ‏.‏

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who swears an oath in which he tells a lie to take the property of a Muslim by unfair means, will meet Allah while He is angry with him. Al-Ash'ath said: I swear by Allah, he said this about me. There was some land between me and a Jew, but he denied it to me; so I presented him to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me: Have you any evidence? I replied: No. He said to the Jew: Take an oath. I said: Messenger of Allah, now he will take an oath and take my property. So Allah, the Exalted, revealed the verse, "As for those who sell the faith they owe to Allah and their own plighted word for a small price, they shall have no portion in the hereafter

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْمَخْزُومِيُّ الْمَدَنِيُّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ سِتُّ خِصَالٍ يَعُودُهُ إِذَا مَرِضَ وَيَشْهَدُهُ إِذَا مَاتَ وَيُجِيبُهُ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا لَقِيَهُ وَيُشَمِّتُهُ إِذَا عَطَسَ وَيَنْصَحُ لَهُ إِذَا غَابَ أَوْ شَهِدَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْمَخْزُومِيُّ الْمَدَنِيُّ ثِقَةٌ رَوَى عَنْهُ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَابْنُ أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ ‏.‏

Narrated Abu Hurairah:that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "There are six things due from the believer to another believer: Visiting him when he is ill, attending (his funeral) to him when he dies, accepting his invitation when he invites, giving him Salam when he meets him, replying to him when he sneezes, and wishing him well when he is absent and when he is present

حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَضْرَمِيٌّ، مَوْلَى آلِ الْجَارُودِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، عَطَسَ إِلَى جَنْبِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَأَنَا أَقُولُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَلَيْسَ هَكَذَا عَلَّمَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَّمَنَا أَنْ نَقُولَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ زِيَادِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ ‏.‏

Narrated Hadrami, the freed slave of the family of Al-Jarud:from Nafi: "A man sneezed beside Ibn 'Umar and said: 'Al-Hamdulillah Was-Salamu 'Ala Rasulillah. (All praise is due to Allah, and peace upon the Messenger of Allah)'. So Ibn 'Umar said: 'I too say Al-Hamdulillah Was-Salamu 'Ala Rasulillah, but this is not what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught us. He taught us to say: "Al-Hamdulillah 'Ala Kulli Hal (All praise is due to Allah in every circumstance)

اعلم أن الحلم أفضل من كظم الغيظ لأن كظم الغيظ عبارة عن التحلم أي تكلف الحلم ولا يحتاج إلى كظم الغيظ إلا من هاج غيظه ويحتاج فيه إلى مجاهدة شديدة ولكن إذا تعود ذلك مدة صار ذلك اعتيادا فلا يهيج الغيظ وإن هاج فلا يكون في كظمه تعب وهو الحلم الطبيعي وهو دلالة كمال العقل واستيلائه وانكسار قوة الغضب وخضوعها للعقل ولكن ابتداؤه التحلم وكظم الغيظ تكلفا

أما القسم الأول فليست الرياضة فيها لينعدم غيظ القلب ولكن لكي يقدر على أن لا يطيع الغضب ولا يستعمله في الظاهر إلا على حد يستحبه الشرع ويستحسنه العقل وذلك ممكن بالمجاهدة وتكلف الحلم والاحتمال مدة حتى يصير الحلم والاحتمال خلقا راسخا فأما قمع أصل الغيظ من القلب فذلك ليس مقتضى الطبع وهو غير ممكن نعم يمكن كسر سورته وتضعيفه حتى لا يشتد هيجان الغيظ في الباطن وينتهي ضعفه إلى أن لا يظهر أثره في الوجه ولكن ذلك شديد جدا وهذا حكم القسم الثالث أيضا لأن ما صار ضروريا في حق شخص فلا يمنعه من الغيظ استغناء غيره عنه فالرياضة فيه تمنع العمل به وتضعف هيجانه في الباطن حتى لا يشتد التألم بالصبر عليه

صلوا بالجحيم وفات النعم % وكان الذي نالهم كالحلم فصل

وإذا انحرفت عن خلق الحلم انحرفت : إما إلى الطيش والترف والحدة والخفة وإما إلى الذل والمهانة والحقارة ففرق بين من حلمه حلم ذل ومهانة وحقارة وعجز وبين من حلمه حلم اقتدار وعزة وشرف كما قيل :

| فصل المشهد الثالث : مشهد العفو والصفح والحلم فإنه متى شهد ذلك

هذا وفي الصفح والعفو والحلم : من الحلاوة والطمأنينة والسكينة وشرف النفس وعزها ورفعتها عن تشفيها بالانتقام : ما ليس شيء منه في المقابلة والانتقام

Annual Research Review: On the relations among self-regulation, self-control, executive functioning, effortful control, cognitive control, impulsivity, risk-taking, and inhibition for developmental psychopathology.: Background: Self-regulation (SR) is central to developmental psychopathology, but progress has been impeded by varying terminology and meanings across fields and literatures. Methods: The present review attempts to move that discussion forward by noting key sources of prior confusion such as measurement-concept confounding, and then arguing the following major points. Results: First, the field needs a domain-general construct of SR that encompasses SR of action, emotion, and cognition and involv

A Preliminary, Randomized-Controlled Trial of Mindfulness and Game-Based Executive Function Trainings to Promote Self-Regulation in Internationally-Adopted Children.: Although many children adopted internationally show remarkable recovery once placed in families, as a group they continue to exhibit persisting developmental deficits and delays in self-regulation. The current study uses a stratified, randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the effects of mindfulness-based and executive function trainings (EFTs) on internationally adopted (IA) children's self-regulation, including effortful/inhibitory control, attention, delay of gratification, and emotion-regu

Can the attention training technique turn one marshmallow into two? Improving children's ability to delay gratification.: The seminal Marshmallow Test (Mischel & Ebbesen, 1970) has reliably demonstrated that children who can delay gratification are more likely to be emotionally stable and successful later in life. However, this is not good news for those children who can't delay. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether a metacognitive therapy technique, Attention Training (ATT: Wells, 1990) can improve young children's ability to delay gratification. One hundred children participated. Classes of 5-6 year old

The relationships between rumination and core executive functions: A meta-analysis.: Background: Rumination has been thought to relate to deficits in core executive functions (EFs), but the empirical findings for this idea are mixed. The aim of the present study is to synthesize existing literature to clarify these relations. Methods: A comprehensive literature search revealed 34 published as well as unpublished studies on the associations between rumination and core EF. These studies report on 3,066 participants. The effect size in the meta-analyses was obtained by the z transf

Cognitive and neural plasticity in old age: A systematic review of evidence from executive functions cognitive training.: Cognitive training is a popular intervention aimed at attenuating age-related cognitive decline, however, the effects of this intervention on brain structure and function have not been thoroughly explored. Core executive functions (working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility) are dependent upon prefrontal brain regions-one of the most vulnerable areas of age-related decline. They are also implicated in numerous cognitive processes and higher-order functions. Training executive functions sh

Remember the future II: meta-analyses and functional overlap of working memory and delay discounting.: Previously we showed that working memory training decreased the discounting of future rewards in stimulant addicts without affecting a go/no-go task. While a relationship between delay discounting and working memory is consistent with other studies, the unique brain regions of plausible causality between these two abilities have yet to be determined. Activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses were performed on foci from studies of delay discounting (DD = 449), working memory (WM = 452), fing

Effects of a Randomised Trial of 5-Week Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention on Cognitive Function: Possible Benefits for Inhibitory Control.

Previous research suggests that higher heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with better cognitive function. However, since most previous findings on the relationship between HRV and cognitive function were correlational in nature, it is unclear whether individual differences in HRV play a causal role in cognitive performance. To investigate whether there are causal relationships, we used a simple breathing manipulation that increases HRV through a 5-week HRV biofeedback intervention and examined whether this manipulation improves cognitive performance in younger and older adults (N = 165). The 5-week HRV biofeedback intervention did not significantly improve inhibitory control, working memory and processing speed across age groups. However, improvement in the Flanker score (a measure of inhibition) was associated with the amplitude of heart rate oscillations during practice session…

matched on inhibitory control (text), working memory (text)

Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Training in Surgery

Importance: Mindfulness meditation training has been shown to be feasible in surgical trainees, but affective, cognitive, and performance benefits seen in other high-stress populations have yet to be evaluated. Objective: To explore potential benefits to stress, cognition, and performance in postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) surgery residents receiving modified mindfulness-based stress reduction (modMBSR). Design, Setting, and Participants: This follow-up study is an analysis of the Mindful Surgeon pilot randomized clinical trial of modMBSR (n = 12) vs an active control (n = 9), evaluated at baseline (T1), postintervention (T2), and 1 year (T3), took place at an academic medical center residency training program among PGY-1 surgery residents. Data were collected between June 2016 and June 2017 and analyzed from June 2017 to December 2017. Interventions: Weekly 2-hour modMBSR classes and 20 min…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

The quest for synergy between physical exercise and cognitive stimulation via exergaming in people with dementia: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Exercise is often proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention to delay cognitive decline in people with dementia, but evidence remains inconclusive. Previous studies suggest that combining physical exercise with cognitive stimulation may be more successful in this respect. Exergaming is a promising intervention in which physical exercise is combined with cognitively challenging tasks in a single session. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exergame training and aerobic training on cognitive functioning in older adults with dementia. Methods: A three-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared exergame training, aerobic training and an active control intervention consisting of relaxation and flexibility exercises. Individuals with dementia were randomized and individually trained three times a week during 12 weeks. Cognitive functioning was measured …

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of regular musical activities in early dementia: randomized controlled study.

Purpose of the study: During aging, musical activities can help maintain physical and mental health and cognitive abilities, but their rehabilitative use has not been systematically explored in persons with dementia (PWDs). Our aim was to determine the efficacy of a novel music intervention based on coaching the caregivers of PWDs to use either singing or music listening regularly as a part of everyday care. Design and methods: Eighty-nine PWD-caregiver dyads were randomized to a 10-week singing coaching group (n = 30), a 10-week music listening coaching group (n = 29), or a usual care control group (n = 30). The coaching sessions consisted primarily of singing/listening familiar songs coupled occasionally with vocal exercises and rhythmic movements (singing group) and reminiscence and discussions (music listening group). In addition, the intervention included regular musical exercises a…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Getting a grip on drinking behavior: training working memory to reduce alcohol abuse.

Alcohol abuse disrupts core executive functions, including working memory (WM)--the ability to maintain and manipulate goal-relevant information. When executive functions like WM are weakened, drinking behavior gets out of control and is guided more strongly by automatic impulses. This study investigated whether training WM restores control over drinking behavior. Forty-eight problem drinkers performed WM training tasks or control tasks during 25 sessions over at least 25 days. Before and after training, we measured WM and drinking behavior. Training WM improved WM and reduced alcohol intake for more than 1 month after the training. Further, the indirect effect of training on alcohol use through improved WM was moderated by participants' levels of automatic impulses: Increased WM reduced alcohol consumption in participants with relatively strong automatic preferences for alcohol. These f…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Does computerized working memory training with game elements enhance motivation and training efficacy in children with ADHD?

This study examined the benefits of adding game elements to standard computerized working memory (WM) training. Specifically, it examined whether game elements would enhance motivation and training performance of children with ADHD, and whether it would improve training efficacy. A total of 51 children with ADHD aged between 7 and 12 years were randomly assigned to WM training in a gaming format or to regular WM training that was not in a gaming format. Both groups completed three weekly sessions of WM training. Children using the game version of the WM training showed greater motivation (i.e., more time training), better training performance (i.e., more sequences reproduced and fewer errors), and better WM (i.e., higher scores on a WM task) at post-training than children using the regular WM training. Results are discussed in terms of executive functions and reinforcement models of ADHD…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

A double-blind, randomized study of minocycline for the treatment of negative and cognitive symptoms in early-phase schizophrenia.

Background: Current antipsychotics have only a limited effect on 2 core aspects of schizophrenia: negative symptoms and cognitive deficits. Minocycline is a second-generation tetracycline that has a beneficial effect in various neurologic disorders. Recent findings in animal models and human case reports suggest its potential for the treatment of schizophrenia. These findings may be linked to the effect of minocycline on the glutamatergic system, through inhibition of nitric oxide synthase and blocking of nitric oxide-induced neurotoxicity. Other proposed mechanisms of action include effects of minocycline on the dopaminergic system and its inhibition of microglial activation. Objective: To examine the efficacy of minocycline as an add-on treatment for alleviating negative and cognitive symptoms in early-phase schizophrenia. Method: A longitudinal double-blind, randomized, placebo-contro…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Can training in a real-time strategy video game attenuate cognitive decline in older adults?

Declines in various cognitive abilities, particularly executive control functions, are observed in older adults. An important goal of cognitive training is to slow or reverse these age-related declines. However, opinion is divided in the literature regarding whether cognitive training can engender transfer to a variety of cognitive skills in older adults. In the current study, the authors trained older adults in a real-time strategy video game for 23.5 hr in an effort to improve their executive functions. A battery of cognitive tasks, including tasks of executive control and visuospatial skills, were assessed before, during, and after video-game training. The trainees improved significantly in the measures of game performance. They also improved significantly more than the control participants in executive control functions, such as task switching, working memory, visual short-term memor…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Neurocognitive enhancement therapy with vocational services: work outcomes at two-year follow-up.

Unlabelled: Neurocognitive enhancement therapy (NET) is a remediation program for the persistent and function-limiting cognitive impairments of schizophrenia. In a previous study in veterans, NET improved work therapy outcomes as well as executive function and working memory. The present study aimed to determine whether NET could enhance functional outcomes among schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients in a community mental health center receiving community-based vocational services. Method: Patients (N=72) participated in a hybrid transitional and supported employment program (VOC) and were randomized to either NET+VOC or VOC only. NET+VOC included computer-based cognitive training, work feedback and a social information information-processing group. VOC only also included two weekly support groups. Active intervention was 12 months with 12 month follow-up. Follow-up rate was 100%. R…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Individualized piano instruction enhances executive functioning and working memory in older adults.

This study evaluates transfer from domain-specific, sensorimotor training to cognitive abilities associated with executive function. We examined Individualized Piano Instruction (IPI) as a potential cognitive intervention to mitigate normal age-related cognitive decline in older adults. Thirty-one musically naïve community-dwelling older adults (ages 60-85) were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 16) or control group (n = 15). Neuropsychological assessments were administered at three time points: pre-training, following six months of intervention, and following a three-month delay. The experimental group significantly improved performance on the Trail Making Test and Digit Symbol measures as compared to healthy controls. Results of this study suggest that IPI may serve as an effective cognitive intervention for age-related cognitive decline.

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Computerized training of working memory in children with ADHD--a randomized, controlled trial.

Objective: Deficits in executive functioning, including working memory (WM) deficits, have been suggested to be important in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). During 2002 to 2003, the authors conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial to investigate the effect of improving WM by computerized, systematic practice of WM tasks. Method: Included in the trial were 53 children with ADHD (9 girls; 15 of 53 inattentive subtype), aged 7 to 12 years, without stimulant medication. The compliance criterion (>20 days of training) was met by 44 subjects, 42 of whom were also evaluated at follow-up 3 months later. Participants were randomly assigned to use either the treatment computer program for training WM or a comparison program. The main outcome measure was the span-board task, a visuospatial WM task that was not part of the training program. Results: For th…

matched on executive function (text), working memory (text)

Mindfulness meditation improves emotion regulation and reduces drug abuse.

Background: The core clinical symptoms of addiction include an enhanced incentive for drug taking (craving), impaired self-control (impulsivity and compulsivity), emotional dysregulation (negative mood) and increased stress reactivity. Symptoms related to impaired self-control involve reduced activity in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), adjacent prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and other brain areas. Behavioral training such as mindfulness meditation can increase the function of control networks including those leading to improved emotion regulation and thus may be a promising approach for the treatment of addiction. Methods: In a series of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), we tested whether increased ACC/mPFC activity is related to better self-control abilities in executive functions, emotion regulation and stress response in healthy and addicted populations. After a brief mindfulness traini…

matched on Executive Function (mesh), Self-Control (keyword), executive function (text)

Bedtime procrastination in the relationship between self-control and depressive symptoms in medical students: From the perspective of sex differences.

Background: Depressive symptoms typically exhibit sex differences among medical students and are associated with bedtime procrastination (BP) and self-control. However, it remains unclear whether sex differences exist in the relationship between these variables. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 402 medical students from a public university in China. Students' depressive symptoms, BP, and trait self-control were assessed using the Chinese version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II, the Bedtime Procrastination Scale, and the Self-control Scale, respectively. Applying a BDI cutoff value of 14, 364 valid participants were divided into non-depressed (<14) and depressed (≥14) groups. Results: Binary logistic regression revealed that BP was an independent predictor of the prevalence of depressive symptoms in women only. Hierarchical regression showed tha…

matched on Self-Control (mesh), Self-Control (keyword)

An integrative review of ethnic and cultural variation in socialization and children's self-regulation.

Aim: To examine the evidence for cross-cultural variation in socialization and children's normative self-regulation, based on a contextual-developmental perspective. Background: Nurses and healthcare workers in multi-cultural societies must understand diversity in socializing influences (including parenting) and in children's behaviour. A contextual-developmental perspective implies that normative cultural and ethnic values will influence socializing processes and behaviour, which in turn will influence children's self-regulation. Design: Integrative review. Data sources: Studies were located using five major search engines from 1990-2011. Domains of a contextual-developmental perspective and a comprehensive definition of self-regulation assisted the generation of search terms. Review methods: Selected studies compared at least two ethnic or cultural groups and addressed contextual-devel…

matched on Self-Control (mesh), executive function (text)

Induced rumination dampens executive processes in dysphoric young adults.

Self-focused, analytical mental rumination constitutes a central process in depression. It has been hypothesized that such rumination depletes executive resources that are necessary for an efficient cognitive regulation of emotion and behavior. However, most of the research supporting this hypothesis is of correlational nature. The present study examined the effects of induced rumination versus distraction on executive capacities in dysphoric and nondsyphoric college students. Executive functioning was measured with the Stroop task. Results indicate that induced rumination decreases inhibition capacities in dysphoric individuals only. The flexibility facet of executive functioning was not affected by induced rumination. However, dysphoric individuals demonstrated a fundamental impairment in this latter capacity, independent of rumination induction. The implications for the facets of exec…

matched on Inhibition, Psychological (mesh), executive function (text)

Impulsivity and sustained attention in pathological gamblers: influence of childhood ADHD history.

Pathological gambling (PG) has been associated to both impulsiveness and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in different studies. Our objective was to compare different impulsivity and sustained attention variables, using both behavioural tasks and self-administered questionnaires, in a group of pathological gamblers with a history of childhood ADHD (PG-ADHD; n = 16), a group of pathological gamblers without this history (PG-non-ADHD; n = 39), and a control group (n = 40). As instruments of measure, we used the stop signal task (to evaluate inhibitory control/impulsivity), the differential reinforcement of Low Rate Responding Task (delay of gratification/impulsivity) and the Continuous Performance Test (sustained attention). The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) was used as a self-administered questionnaire to measure impulsiveness. Our results show that patients in the PG-…

matched on Impulsive Behavior (mesh), inhibitory control (text)

Effects of Concomitant Stimulation of the GABAergic and Norepinephrine System on Inhibitory Control - A Study Using Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation.

Background: Inhibitory control processes are a central executive function. Several lines of evidence suggest that the GABAergic and the norepinephrine (NE) system modulate inhibitory control processes. Yet, the effects of conjoint increases in the GABAergic and NE system activity on inhibitory control have not been examined. Objective/hypothesis: We examine the conjoint effects of the GABA and NE system for inhibitory control. Methods: We used transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS), which has been shown to modulate both the GABAergic and NE system. We examine the effects of tVNS in two experimental paradigms examining different aspect of inhibitory control; i.e. a backward inhibition paradigm and a response inhibition paradigm modulating working memory load. Results: There were no effects of tVNS on backward inhibition processes, but on response inhibition processes. Yet, these on…

matched on Executive Function (mesh), Inhibition, Psychological (mesh), executive function (text), inhibitory control (text), working memory (text)

Alcohol Use Disorder Interventions Targeting Brain Sites for Both Conditioned Reward and Delayed Gratification.

Alcohol use disorder is a destructive compulsion characterized by chronic relapse and poor recovery outcomes. Heightened reactivity to alcohol-associated stimuli and compromised executive function are hallmarks of alcohol use disorder. Interventions targeting these two interacting domains are thought to ameliorate these altered states, but the mutual brain sites of action are yet unknown. Although interventions on alcohol cue reactivity affect reward area responses, how treatments alter brain responses when subjects exert executive effort to delay gratification is not as well-characterized. Focusing on interventions that could be developed into effective clinical treatments, we review and identify brain sites of action for these two categories of potential therapies. Using activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis, we find that interventions on alcohol cue reactivity localize …

matched on Executive Function (mesh), executive function (text), Delay Discounting (mesh)

Time orientation and eating behavior: Unhealthy eaters consider immediate consequences, while healthy eaters focus on future health.

Time orientation could play an important role in eating behavior. The current study investigated whether eating behavior is associated with the Consideration of Future Consequences scale (CFC). Specifically, it was examined whether unhealthy eaters consider the future less and are more concerned with immediate gratification. A related measure of time orientation is delay discounting, a process by which a reinforcer becomes less valuable when considered later in time. Recent research argues that the relation between time orientation and health behaviors is measured best at a behavior-specific level. In the current study, we explored the relationships between CFC and discount rate - both general and food-specific - and their influence on healthy eating. Participants with ages 18 to 60 (N = 152; final sample N = 146) filled in an online questionnaire consisting of the CFC, a food-specific v…

matched on Self-Control (mesh), Delay Discounting (mesh)

Predictive validity of delay discounting behavior in adolescence: a longitudinal twin study.

A standard assumption in the delay discounting literature is that individuals who exhibit steeper discounting of hypothetical rewards also experience greater difficulty deferring gratification to real-world rewards. There is ample cross-sectional evidence that delay discounting paradigms reflect a variety of maladaptive psychosocial outcomes, including substance use pathology. We sought to determine whether a computerized assessment of hypothetical delay discounting (HDD) taps into behavioral impulsivity in a community sample of adolescent twins (N = 675). Using a longitudinal design, we hypothesized that greater HDD at age 14-15 predicts real-world impulsive choices and risk for substance use disorders in late adolescence. We also examined the genetic and environmental structure of HDD performance. Individual differences in HDD behavior showed moderate heritability, and were prospective…

matched on Impulsive Behavior (mesh), Delay Discounting (mesh)

Associations between and development of cool and hot executive functions across early childhood.

This study explored the development of cool and hot EF skills across early childhood. Children 4.5- to 5.5-years-old (N = 80) completed performance-based assessments of cool EF (inhibition and working memory), hot EF (affective decision-making and delay of gratification) at three time points across 12 months. Cool EF task performance was consistently correlated with early childhood, but hot EF task performance was not. Performance on cool EF tasks showed significant improvements over early childhood, but performance on hot EF tasks did not. During early childhood performance on delay of gratification and affective decision-making tasks may therefore be unrelated and show limited sensitivity to improvement. Statement of contribution What is already known about cool and hot EF An EF model has been proposed that distinguishes between cool-cognitive and hot-affective skills. Findings regardi…

matched on Executive Function (mesh), Inhibition, Psychological (mesh), executive function (text), Delay Discounting (mesh), working memory (text)

Working memory and executive function decline across normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease marked by deficits in episodic memory, working memory (WM), and executive function. Examples of executive dysfunction in AD include poor selective and divided attention, failed inhibition of interfering stimuli, and poor manipulation skills. Although episodic deficits during disease progression have been widely studied and are the benchmark of a probable AD diagnosis, more recent research has investigated WM and executive function decline during mild cognitive impairment (MCI), also referred to as the preclinical stage of AD. MCI is a critical period during which cognitive restructuring and neuroplasticity such as compensation still occur; therefore, cognitive therapies could have a beneficial effect on decreasing the likelihood of AD progression during MCI. Monitoring performance on working memory and executive function…

matched on Executive Function (mesh), executive function (text), working memory (text)

Working memory and executive functions: effects of training on academic achievement.

The aim of this review is to illustrate the role of working memory and executive functions for scholastic achievement as an introduction to the question of whether and how working memory and executive control training may improve academic abilities. The review of current research showed limited but converging evidence for positive effects of process-based complex working-memory training on academic abilities, particularly in the domain of reading. These benefits occurred in children suffering from cognitive and academic deficits as well as in healthy students. Transfer of training to mathematical abilities seemed to be very limited and to depend on the training regime and the characteristics of the study sample. A core issue in training research is whether high- or low-achieving children benefit more from cognitive training. Individual differences in terms of training-related benefits su…

matched on Executive Function (mesh), executive function (text), working memory (text)

Measurement of cognition in studies of sleep deprivation.

Controlled laboratory studies of the effects of sleep deprivation on cognition have the potential to further our understanding of why some complex tasks are more affected by lack of sleep than other tasks. However, apparently simple cognitive tasks reflect multiple cognitive processes at once. Some of the component processes involved in a task may be more affected by sleep deprivation than others. Thus, interpreting measures of overall performance without consideration of the specific task requirements can lead to misleading conclusions. Using examples from studies of attention, working memory and executive functioning, we demonstrate the importance of analysing how different task components contribute to performance and how the nature of the stimulus content can influence outcomes of sleep deprivation studies. Recent developments in cognitive neuropsychology may help sleep researchers c…

matched on Executive Function (mesh), executive function (text), working memory (text)

Remember the future: working memory training decreases delay discounting among stimulant addicts.

Background: Excessive discounting of future rewards has been observed in a variety of disorders and has been linked both to valuation of the past and to memory of past events. Methods: To explore the functionality of discounting and memory, we examined whether training of working memory would result in less discounting of future rewards. In this study, 27 adults in treatment for stimulant use were randomly assigned to receive either working memory training or control training according to a yoked experimental design. Measures of delay discounting and several other cognitive behaviors were assessed pre- and posttraining. Results: Rates of discounting of delayed rewards were significantly reduced among those who received memory training but were unchanged among those who received control training; other cognitive assessments were not affected by memory training. Discount rates were positiv…

matched on Impulsive Behavior (mesh), working memory (text)