title: Individual differences in executive functions are almost entirely genetic in origin.
abstract: Recent psychological and neuropsychological research suggests that executive functions--the cognitive control processes that regulate thought and action--are multifaceted and that different types of executive functions are correlated but separable. The present multivariate twin study of 3 executive functions (inhibiting dominant responses, updating working memory representations, and shifting between task sets), measured as latent variables, examined why people vary in these executive control abilities and why these abilities are correlated but separable from a behavioral genetic perspective. Results indicated that executive functions are correlated because they are influenced by a highly heritable (99%) common factor that goes beyond general intelligence or perceptual speed, and they are separable because of additional genetic influences unique to particular executive functions. This combination of general and specific genetic influences places executive functions among the most heritable psychological traits. These results highlight the potential of genetic approaches for uncovering the biological underpinnings of executive functions and suggest a need for examining multiple types of executive functions to distinguish different levels of genetic influences.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Naomi P
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4901-808X
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4671-7843
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: DeFries
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Robin P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Corley
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hewitt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001076:Aptitude / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007360:Intelligence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012718:Set, Psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology