EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS: CURRENT CONCEPTS, CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND PROSPECTS



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Abstract

Executive functions (EF) play an important role in ensuring a person's conscious, purposeful behavior, as well as planning actions and monitoring their execution. The article summarizes modern ideas about EF, provides possible approaches to their clinical diagnosis and prospects for the development of the problem. The evolution of views and conceptualization of the regulatory system of the brain are presented. The neurophysiological basis of EF is described in detail, which is based on the activity of a number of partially overlapping neural networks of the brain, as well as some intra-network and connective nodes involved in basic data processing and playing an important role in the organization of neural networks. Data on cognitive EF models and detailed representations of one of the most cited such models (the Miyake model) are presented. The data on modern approaches to the study of EF based on the use of "network" models using the mathematical apparatus of graph theory are presented.

"Qualitative" and "quantitative" approaches to the diagnosis of EF disorders are presented, and the difficulties of their neuropsychological assessment are discussed. A range of screening and classical methods for the diagnosis of EF disorders is presented. Relatively new approaches to the clinical diagnosis of EF patients based on the use of information and communication technologies (computerized neuropsychological tests using interactive graphics, virtual reality technologies and "serious games") are discussed. Special attention is paid to diagnostic tests conducted in a virtual environment using gaming technologies, since the use of these techniques can increase the environmental validity and reliability of ongoing research.

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About the authors

Polina S. Popova

Privolzhsky Research Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: polina_popova43@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0001-3327-672X
SPIN-code: 9950-7056

Resident of the Department of Nervous Diseases

Russian Federation, 10/1 Minin and Pozharsky pl., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation 603005

Aleksey E. Khrulev

Privolzhsky Research Medical University

Email: alexey_khrulev@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0169-3956
SPIN-code: 1051-9769
Scopus Author ID: 57210284114
ResearcherId: AAA-6833-2019
http://employee.pimunn.ru/id766/details

Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Associate Professor; Professor of the Department of Nervous Diseases

Russian Federation, 603950, N. Novgorod, Minin and Pozharsky Square, 10/1

Vera N. Grigoryeva

Privolzhsky Research Medical University

Email: vrgr@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6256-3429
SPIN-code: 3412-5653
http://employee.pimunn.ru/departments/54/employees

Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Professor, Head of the Department of Nervous Diseases

Russian Federation, 10/1 Minin and Pozharsky Square, N. Novgorod 603950

Svetlana N. Sorokoumova

Federal State Budgetary Institution «Russian Academy of Education»;
Research Institute of the Federal Penitentiary Service;
Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University

Email: 4013@bk.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8339-6597
SPIN-code: 3355-9260

Dr. Sci. (Psychology), Professor; Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Education; Chief Researcher; Professor of the Department of Developmental and Pedagogical Psychology

Russian Federation, 8, Pogodinskaya St., Moscow, 119121; building 1, 15a, Narvskaya str., Moscow, 125130; 1, Ulyanova str., Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod region,603005

Olga V. Suvorova

Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University;
Perm State Humanitarian Pedagogical University

Email: olgavenn@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3977-7813
SPIN-code: 7347-8274

Dr. Sci. (Psychology), Professor; Professor of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology

Russian Federation, 1, Ulyanova str., Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod region,603005; 24 Sibirskaya str., Perm, 614990

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