Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disorders

Executive functions (EFs) is an umbrella term for various cognitive processes controlled by a complex neural activity, which allow the production of different types of behaviors seeking to achieve specific objectives, one of them being inhibitory control. There is a wide consensus that clinical and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lía Martínez, Edward Prada, Corina Satler, Maria Clotilde Henriques Tavares, Carlos Tomaz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2016-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01230/full
_version_ 1818137310018928640
author Lía Martínez
Edward Prada
Corina Satler
Maria Clotilde Henriques Tavares
Carlos Tomaz
Carlos Tomaz
author_facet Lía Martínez
Edward Prada
Corina Satler
Maria Clotilde Henriques Tavares
Carlos Tomaz
Carlos Tomaz
author_sort Lía Martínez
collection DOAJ
description Executive functions (EFs) is an umbrella term for various cognitive processes controlled by a complex neural activity, which allow the production of different types of behaviors seeking to achieve specific objectives, one of them being inhibitory control. There is a wide consensus that clinical and behavioral alterations associated with EF, such as inhibitory control, are present in various neuropsychiatric disorders. This paper reviews the research literature on the relationship between executive dysfunction, frontal-subcortical neural circuit changes, and the psychopathological processes associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A revision on the role of frontal-subcortical neural circuits and their presumable abnormal functioning and the high frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms could explain the difficulties with putting effector mechanisms into action, giving individuals the necessary tools to act efficiently in their environment. Although neuronal substrate data about ADHD and PTSD has been reported in the literature, it is isolated. Therefore, this review highlights the overlapping of neural substrates in the symptomatology of ADHD and PTSD disorders concerning EFs, especially in the inhibitory component. Thus, the changes related to impaired EF that accompany disorders like ADHD and PTSD could be explained by disturbances that have a direct or indirect impact on the functioning of these loops. Initially, the theoretical model of EF according to current neuropsychology will be presented, focusing on the inhibitory component. In a second stage, this component will be analyzed for each of the disorders of interest, considering the clinical aspects, the etiology and the neurobiological basis. Additionally, commonalities between the two neuropsychiatric conditions will be taken into consideration from the perspectives of cognitive and emotional inhibition. Finally, the implications and future prospects for research and interventions in the area will be outlined, with the intention of contributing scientific reference information that encompasses the knowledge and understanding of executive dysfunction and its relationship with these treated disorders.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T09:54:16Z
format Article
id doaj.art-074c674c5c8741179c1ec2c53471e2ac
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-1078
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-11T09:54:16Z
publishDate 2016-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychology
spelling doaj.art-074c674c5c8741179c1ec2c53471e2ac2022-12-22T01:12:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782016-08-01710.3389/fpsyg.2016.01230206398Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disordersLía Martínez0Edward Prada1Corina Satler2Maria Clotilde Henriques Tavares3Carlos Tomaz4Carlos Tomaz5University of BrasiliaPontifical Bolivarian UniversityUniversity of BrasiliaUniversity of BrasiliaUniversity of BrasiliaCEUMA University/ UniCEUMAExecutive functions (EFs) is an umbrella term for various cognitive processes controlled by a complex neural activity, which allow the production of different types of behaviors seeking to achieve specific objectives, one of them being inhibitory control. There is a wide consensus that clinical and behavioral alterations associated with EF, such as inhibitory control, are present in various neuropsychiatric disorders. This paper reviews the research literature on the relationship between executive dysfunction, frontal-subcortical neural circuit changes, and the psychopathological processes associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A revision on the role of frontal-subcortical neural circuits and their presumable abnormal functioning and the high frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms could explain the difficulties with putting effector mechanisms into action, giving individuals the necessary tools to act efficiently in their environment. Although neuronal substrate data about ADHD and PTSD has been reported in the literature, it is isolated. Therefore, this review highlights the overlapping of neural substrates in the symptomatology of ADHD and PTSD disorders concerning EFs, especially in the inhibitory component. Thus, the changes related to impaired EF that accompany disorders like ADHD and PTSD could be explained by disturbances that have a direct or indirect impact on the functioning of these loops. Initially, the theoretical model of EF according to current neuropsychology will be presented, focusing on the inhibitory component. In a second stage, this component will be analyzed for each of the disorders of interest, considering the clinical aspects, the etiology and the neurobiological basis. Additionally, commonalities between the two neuropsychiatric conditions will be taken into consideration from the perspectives of cognitive and emotional inhibition. Finally, the implications and future prospects for research and interventions in the area will be outlined, with the intention of contributing scientific reference information that encompasses the knowledge and understanding of executive dysfunction and its relationship with these treated disorders.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01230/fullexecutive functionsPTSDADHDInhibitory Controlneuropsychiatric disorders
spellingShingle Lía Martínez
Edward Prada
Corina Satler
Maria Clotilde Henriques Tavares
Carlos Tomaz
Carlos Tomaz
Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disorders
Frontiers in Psychology
executive functions
PTSD
ADHD
Inhibitory Control
neuropsychiatric disorders
title Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disorders
title_full Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disorders
title_fullStr Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disorders
title_full_unstemmed Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disorders
title_short Executive Dysfunctions: The role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Post-traumatic Stress neuropsychiatric disorders
title_sort executive dysfunctions the role in attention deficit hyperactivity and post traumatic stress neuropsychiatric disorders
topic executive functions
PTSD
ADHD
Inhibitory Control
neuropsychiatric disorders
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01230/full
work_keys_str_mv AT liamartinez executivedysfunctionstheroleinattentiondeficithyperactivityandposttraumaticstressneuropsychiatricdisorders
AT edwardprada executivedysfunctionstheroleinattentiondeficithyperactivityandposttraumaticstressneuropsychiatricdisorders
AT corinasatler executivedysfunctionstheroleinattentiondeficithyperactivityandposttraumaticstressneuropsychiatricdisorders
AT mariaclotildehenriquestavares executivedysfunctionstheroleinattentiondeficithyperactivityandposttraumaticstressneuropsychiatricdisorders
AT carlostomaz executivedysfunctionstheroleinattentiondeficithyperactivityandposttraumaticstressneuropsychiatricdisorders
AT carlostomaz executivedysfunctionstheroleinattentiondeficithyperactivityandposttraumaticstressneuropsychiatricdisorders