Deficits in Executive Function in Alzheimer's and Related Dementia

Executive function is an umbrella term for cognitive processes that regulate, control, and manage other cognitive processes. These processes include planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, verbal reasoning, inhibition, mental flexibility, task switching, and initiation and monitoring of actions.By Carole LarkinAlzheimer's Reading RoomShall we ponder some of the issues regardingslowly losing executive functions in Alzheimer ’s and related diseases today?First, let ’s define what executive function is.Dealing with Confusion in Dementia CareAn article by Leilani Doty, PhD, the Director of the University of Florida Cognitive and Memory Disorder Clinicstells us that executive functions generally take place in our frontal lobes, right behind our forehead.Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:These functions includeour ability to plan things, to solve problems, to organize things in our heads, to develop the initiative to start something, to make an appropriate decision, to consider consequences of our choices, to form an idea, to prioritize things, to be able to control your own emotions and to be able to think abstractly.Additionally executive functions include: the ability to use working memory (to hold the item in your head long enough to use it or apply it to something else), the ability to pay attention to something without getting distracted, the ability to focus in on important details, to work towards a goal (plan), to adjust to cha...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: #executivefunction alzheimer s dementia executive function health life news memory symptoms alzheimers Source Type: blogs