What Is Executive Dysfunction?

The brain has three main executive functions: working memory (which helps you remember what you’re doing at the present moment), cognitive flexibility (which helps you shift your thinking from one topic to another), and inhibition control (which helps you focus and stop yourself from saying and doing certain things). Executive dysfunction disrupts these functions, making it difficult for someone to manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

What Causes Executive Dysfunction?

Researchers are still working to determine exactly what causes executive dysfunction, but studies suggest that it can result from various conditions, including:

• Addiction
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Brain tumors
• Cerebral hypoxia
• Exposure to certain toxins
• Dementia
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Head injuries
• Huntington’s disease
• Infections
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Schizophrenia
• Strokes

Treatment for executive dysfunction will usually depend on the condition that caused it.

What Are the Symptoms of Executive Dysfunction?

Executive dysfunction can produce different symptoms in different people. If you have executive dysfunction, you may:

• Be easily distracted
• Find it hard to focus on one thing
• Daydream when you need to pay attention
• Focus too much on one thing
• Lack impulse control
• Have a hard time explaining your thought processes
• Struggle to motivate yourself to start difficult or boring tasks
• Have trouble planning or completing tasks
• Get easily interrupted partway through tasks
• Find it difficult to move from one task to another

Learn More About Executive Dysfunction

If you think you might be experiencing executive dysfunction, we encourage you to reach out and schedule an appointment. Our experienced therapists understand the impact that executive dysfunction can have on a person’s life, and we would love the opportunity to help you overcome the challenges you’re currently facing. Contact us today to get started.