Executive function is a broad set of mental skills that are important for achieving goals and interacting with others. People with executive function disorder may find it difficult to organize themselves, focus their attention, and control their emotions and behavior.
However, executive function disorder is not a specific, standalone diagnosis or condition. Instead, neurological, mental health, and behavioral disorders, such as depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can affect a person’s executive function.
Executive function skills help people complete tasks and interact with others. They include a range of skills, such as:
planning and organization
concentrating and controlling mental focus
analyzing and processing information
controlling emotions and behavior
remembering details
managing time
multitasking
problem-solving
An executive function disorder impairs some of these skills, which can affect a person’s ability to manage and organize themselves to achieve goals.
However, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) does not recognize executive function disorder as a specific mental health condition. Instead, executive function issues are symptomatic of other neurological, mental health, and behavioral disorders.
For example, depression may affect certain executive functions, such as memory, attention, and control of inhibitions. Alzheimer’s can sometimes severely impair executive function, and a person may no longer be able to drive, get dressed, or behave appropriately in social situations.
People with executive function issues may have the following symptoms:
*trouble controlling emotions or impulses
*problems with starting, organizing, planning, or completing tasks
*trouble listening or paying attention
*short-term memory issues
*inability to multitask or balance tasks
*socially inappropriate behavior
*inability to learn from past consequences
*difficulty solving problems
*difficulty learning or processing new information
Problems with executive function may lead to: poor performance at work or school, problems forming or maintaining relationships, mood issues, low self-esteem, avoidance of difficult tasks and
low motivation or loss of interest in activities.
Executive function takes time to develop, so many of these behaviors are completely normal in young children. However, if these behaviors persist, they may indicate that the child has executive function issues.
ADHD is a developmental impairment of executive function that can cause hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention.
Symptoms of ADHD can vary in type and severity but may include:
*fidgeting, restlessness, being unable to sit still, and talking excessively.
*acting without thinking and behaving in socially inappropriate ways.
*often interrupting other people’s conversations or activities.
*being prone to distraction or having a short attention span.
*making careless mistakes at work or in schoolwork.
*having difficulty organizing, completing, or focusing on tasks.
*general forgetfulness.
People with executive function issues may have ADHD. However, ADHD is not the only condition that can affect executive function.
Conditions that can cause executive function issues include:
*ADHD
*depression and anxiety
*bipolar disorder
*schizophrenia
*obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
*autism
*Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia
*Tourette’s syndrome
*traumatic injuries to the brain
Temporary causes of executive function issues can include: exhaustion, severe pain, stress, distracting environments,
drug use, alcohol and severe boredom.
Diagnosis
Doctors can use a variety of tests to help assess a person’s executive function.
In the Stroop task, for example, a person looks at the names of colors that appear in different colored inks. So, the word “red” may appear in green ink, and the word “yellow” may appear in blue ink. For each word, the person has to say what the ink color is, rather than the written color name. The Stroop task can help evaluate a person’s mental control and selective attention.
Other tests that a doctor may use to assess executive function include: trail making tests, clock drawing tests, verbal fluency tests and card sorting tests.
If a doctor suspects a specific disorder, such as ADHD, they may skip executive functioning tests and instead compare the person’s symptoms with standard diagnostic criteria for that disorder.
A doctor may sometimes also recommend additional testing to rule out other causes. For example, they may order an MRI scan to rule out a stroke or brain tumor in people with signs of dementia.
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