Executive control function: a review of its promise and challenges for clinical research. A report from the Committee on Research of the American Neuropsychiatric Association.
This report reviews the state of the literature and opportunities for research related to "executive control function" (ECF). ECF has recently been separated from the specific cognitive domains (memory, language, and praxis) traditionally used to assess patients. ECF impairment has been associated with lesions to the frontal cortex and its basal ganglia-thalamic connections. No single putative ECF measure can yet serve as a "gold standard." This and other obstacles to assessment of ECF are reviewed. ECF impairment and related frontal system lesions and metabolic disturbances have been detected in many psychiatric and medical disorders and are strongly associated with functional outcomes, disability, and specific problem behaviors. The prevalence and severity of ECF deficits in many disorders remain to be determined, and treatment has been attempted in only a few disorders. Much more research in these areas is necessary.
Royall
Donald R
DR
The University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. royall@uthscsa.edu
Lauterbach
Edward C
EC
Cummings
Jeffrey L
JL
Reeve
Allison
A
Rummans
Teresa A
TA
Kaufer
Daniel I
DI
LaFrance
W Curt
WC
Coffey
C Edward
CE
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007395:Interneurons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000378:metabolism; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D018079:Receptors, GABA; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate