It affects every aspect of life
Executive dysfunction involves problems with thinking, memory, and planning.
These skills are also described as cognitive processes.
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What Is Executive Function?
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Executive function includes several different components of thinking and planning.
What Is Executive Dysfunction?
Executive dysfunction is an impairment of one or more aspects of executive function.
Often, executive dysfunction begins with just a few symptoms and can progress to involve more aspects of life.
What Causes Executive Dysfunction?
Many different medical and psychiatric conditions can lead to executive dysfunction.
Because its a new condition, the long-term prognosis is not known.
Post-traumatic stress disorderandgeneralized anxiety disordercan cause executive dysfunction that may improve with treatment of the underlying condition.
Long-Term Conditions
Some conditions cause progressively worsening, intermittent, or stable long-term executive dysfunction.
Causes of long-term executive dysfunction include:
These conditions may interfere with self-care and awareness of surroundings.
Diagnosis and Evaluation
Signs of executive dysfunction require a medical, neurological, and psychiatric evaluation.
Further testing is sometimes necessary to identify the cause and severity of executive dysfunction.
Treatment for Executive Dysfunction
Many of the causes of executive dysfunction can be treated.
Additionally, sometimes therapies can help improve executive function.
This is especially true with learning and behavioral disabilities, which can often improve partially or fully with interventions.
These interventions are valuable for most types, severity, and causes of executive dysfunction.
Summary
Executive dysfunction is a problem with thinking skills.
It can range in severity, and it can occur due to many different conditions.
Diagnosis involves a comprehensive medical history and examination, and sometimes involves diagnostic tests as well.
Some types of executive dysfunction are temporary, such as when it occurs as a medication side effect.
Other types, such as dementia, are expected to progressively worsen with time.
Sometimes severe depression can cause symptoms of executive dysfunction, including difficulty concentrating, planning, and focusing.
These issues are not resulting from structural damage to the brain, and they arent permanent.
Executive dysfunction thats associated with depression will improve when depression is treated.
Sometimes medication can improve executive dysfunction.
There are also medications that can treat neurological causes, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease.
Additionally, some prescription medications may help slow the progression of dementia.
