Executive Function

Executive function is the umbrella term that describes the cognitive abilities necessary for complex goal-directed behavior and adaptation to environmental changes. Executive function includes the ability to direct attentional resources to meet the demands of nonroutine events, the ability to reason, plan, and anticipate outcomes (cognitive flexibility), and the ability to perform inhibitory control and decision-making. Many definitions of executive function also include self-monitoring and self-awareness. Regions of the prefrontal cortex are thought to play a special role in handling different components of executive functions.