EXECUTIVE BRAIN
FUNCTIONS
Our amazing brains have a cognitive management
system (or CEO) located in our prefrontal cortex.
This Executive Functioning
System contains six separate clusters, all working
together to help us manage the tasks of daily life.
These functions include:
1. Activation: Organizing, prioritizing and
activating to work
2. Focus: Focusing, sustaining and shifting attention
to tasks
3. Effort: Regulating alertness, sustaining effort,
and processing speed
4. Emotion: Managing frustration and modulating
emotions
5. Memory: Utilizing working memory and accessing
recall
6. Action: Monitoring and self-regulating action
All of us have Executive Functioning System
strengths and limitations. The challenge is to use
our strengths and find strategies and supports to
accommodate our weaker areas. For more information,
please visit Dr. Brown's website, www.drthomasebrown.com.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE
PREFRONTAL CORTEX AND CEO CENTER
We also have a very active
lymbic system in our brains. The limbic system is
the very emotional, impulsive, instant gratification
center that says, “I want it, and I need it now!”.
This center is very active in younger children
and teenagers. But as we grow and develop, our
prefrontal and frontal cortex grows with us,
allowing us to better manage the lymbic system's
constant demands. Our capacity to evaluate our
immediate needs improves, and we learn to delay
gratification in order to achieve our long term goals.
MANAGING OUR LYMBIC
SYSTEM AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING
Instead of judging ourselves as lazy or
undisciplined, we may consider how the prefrontal
and frontal cortex centers contribute to our
challenges. If you consistently have difficulty with
one of the six Executive Functions above, further
exploration could help you create a more effective
action plan. This is not a matter of simple will
power! Further diagnosis of the problem and/or a
variety of techniques can strengthen the brain’s
Executive Functioning System and moderate the lymbic
impulses.
THE OVERWHELMED BRAIN
With technology like television, ipods, email,
voicemail, the Internet and other stimulants
constantly bombarding us, we are frequently
overwhelmed with information and input. These
activities feed into our ever-hungry limbic centers,
making it harder for us to access our brain's less
demanding prefrontal and frontal executive
functioning centers. The brain needs a chance to
“cool down” and/or get redirected in order to have
optimum executive functioning access.
EXERCISE AND THE
BRAIN
Exercise is known to increase levels of dopamine,
serotonin and norepinephrine--neurotransmitters that
affect mood. These are the same brain chemicals
whose levels are regulated by well-known antidepressant
medications such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. Since
exercise increases these positive brain chemicals,
it also helps reinforce positive emotions and behaviors.
Dr. Ratey believes aerobic exercise helps our brains
like "Miracle Grow" helps plants. Exercise keeps
brain cells
healthy in a way that even playing chess and other
highly cognitive activities do not. So not only
can exercise help us feel better, but it increases our
positive brain function. For more information please
visit
Dr.
Ratey's Brain Exercises
or read his book, The User’s Guide to the Brain.
CHALLENGES WITH YOUR
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING
If you have trouble focusing, modulating your
emotions, organizing and/or prioritizing, or if you
are challenged with other tasks from the Six
Executive Functions list above, you may need to
explore and develop the related center in the brain.
Various activities can help, such as: exercise, specific
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques used by
coaches and therapists, acupuncture, restructuring
one’s workspace and breaking up tasks, meditation,
medication, various holistic remedies such as
SAMe, technical aids such as PDAs, and accountability
systems like www.free-minder.com.
These resources can help modulate
the lymbic system and enhance prefrontal cortex
functioning. Dr. Ratey found that just talking out
loud about one’s decisions and goals can help
stimulate the appropriate brain centers and provide more
motivation and attention for increased follow-through.
ASSESSING YOUR EXECUTIVE
FUNCTION
If you answer “Yes” to 3-4 or
more of the questions below, you may want to take
the next step and assess your brain’s hard-wiring. I
know the term Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is an
over-used term, but many high-functioning adults
have ADD or ADHD. Their ADD/ADHD often goes
undiagnosed and
they work harder, not smarter, without the
recommended exercises, medication, coaching, or
other therapeutic activities that can change their
brain's functioning. I have seen remarkable progress
in my
clients who have initially used the on-line tests
listed below, and then followed up with official
diagnosis and supports. If you have questions about
which type of intervention would be best for you,
please email me and I will direct you to the most
appropriate resource.
Questions:
1. Are you restless, easily distracted, and/or have
a short attention span, although you can often focus
on one thing to the exclusion of other activities?
2. Unless you are very interested in something, do
you get bored and have trouble working on it?
3. Do you talk a lot, sometimes say whatever comes
into your mind and find others are shocked or have
indicated your comments are tactless?
4. Are you easily overwhelmed by tasks of daily
living?
5. Do you have trouble with organizing your work
space, paying bills on time, and/or is your
accounting system or checkbook a jumble?
6. Do you have any family history of or do you have
learning problems, mood disorders or substance abuse
problems?
7. Do you have a “high rev” system? Do you
constantly seek out highly stimulating activities,
extreme exercise and/or high stress jobs?
8. Do you have problems with self-esteem, often
think that “the sky could fall” or often get stuck
in negative thoughts?
9. Do you have trouble modulating your anger and
frustration?
10. Do you have problems with authority figures
and/or have a short fuse?
Of course, you could answer “Yes” to some of these
questions and not have ADD, ADHD or other brain
function related challenges. However, if you use one
of the simple screens listed below, you can quickly
assess
whether or not you should see a professional and get
great advice and resources on how to address this
problem.
Take the
short
pre-screening test by Dr. Amen.
Take a
more
comprehensive assessment by Dr. Thomas Brown.
MOVING
FORWARD
It may
seem overwhelming to
think about coping with yet another thing to do.
However, addressing these impairments in the brain’s
biological functioning can have a huge impact on
improving your personal and professional life. For
more information go to Dr.
Ratey's website.
The Feeling Good Handbook by Dr. David D.
Burns and Delivered from Distraction by Dr.
Edward M. Hallowell and Dr. John J. Ratey are both
excellent additional resources to consult.
