The executive functions involve various neurocognitive skills such as cognitive flexibility, working memory, inhibition control, reasoning, and planning (Carlson et al, 2003). It is a hierarchical model which governs the control and coordination of information processing. The executive functions emerge from infancy and develop swiftly during the preschool years. Dynamic brain changes within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are consequently closely associated with the development. Throughout the essay, I am going to focus on the childhood development of cognitive flexibility, inhibition control, planning, and working memory among the broad range of executive functions, and discuss the implications of the brain changes, in regard to the lateral PFC
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Bunge and Zelazo (2006) pinpoint the intimate relationship between the lateral PFC and the development in using rules flexibly in children aged 2 to 5 years old. Children’s ability to represent the hierarchical complexity of rules is subsequently enhanced when the PFC regions become more matured. Age differences in PFC activation in rule conditions also exist between 8 to 12-year-olds, 13 to 17-year-olds, and young adults (Bunge & Zelazo, 2006). Furthermore, Morton et al (2009) emphasise that the difference lies on the dorsal-lateral PFC (dlPFC), as rule-update in dlPFC develops more slowly in children, though the LPFC activities are similar between children and adult’s performance. In line with Morton et al’s (2009) observation, Moriguchi and Hiraki (2009) also highlight the importance of inferior prefrontal activation in cognitive flexibility among young children. NIRS measurement was employed when children were completing the DCCS task: 3-year-old children were found to perpetrate perseverate errors in the post-switch phase and they took more time to finish the task. Similar brain areas, like the bilateral inferior PFC, were activated between the 5-year-old children and the adults, as was illustrated by the increase of oxy-Hb level. Yet, children …show more content…
As there are limited brain function measures suitable for use in testing infants and young children, we can only predict the childhood development by using the neural basis of non-human primates and adults, which fail to provide a whole picture and explain the full mechanism. Other than the constraints posed by the physical measures, the controversies over the brain changes associated with the development also create confusions with our comprehension. Apart from inferior prefrontal areas, other brain regions may also facilitate cognitive flexibility, as correlations exist between dlPFC and the parietal cortex, so the inferior PFC may not be fully responsible for cognitive shifting tasks (Moriguchi & Hiraki, 2009). In short, although there are a large amount of corroboration supporting that the PFC predominates in the cognitive flexibility domain, further research is needed for the possibility of other brain areas which may also be influential to the
Bunge and Zelazo (2006) pinpoint the intimate relationship between the lateral PFC and the development in using rules flexibly in children aged 2 to 5 years old. Children’s ability to represent the hierarchical complexity of rules is subsequently enhanced when the PFC regions become more matured. Age differences in PFC activation in rule conditions also exist between 8 to 12-year-olds, 13 to 17-year-olds, and young adults (Bunge & Zelazo, 2006). Furthermore, Morton et al (2009) emphasise that the difference lies on the dorsal-lateral PFC (dlPFC), as rule-update in dlPFC develops more slowly in children, though the LPFC activities are similar between children and adult’s performance. In line with Morton et al’s (2009) observation, Moriguchi and Hiraki (2009) also highlight the importance of inferior prefrontal activation in cognitive flexibility among young children. NIRS measurement was employed when children were completing the DCCS task: 3-year-old children were found to perpetrate perseverate errors in the post-switch phase and they took more time to finish the task. Similar brain areas, like the bilateral inferior PFC, were activated between the 5-year-old children and the adults, as was illustrated by the increase of oxy-Hb level. Yet, children …show more content…
As there are limited brain function measures suitable for use in testing infants and young children, we can only predict the childhood development by using the neural basis of non-human primates and adults, which fail to provide a whole picture and explain the full mechanism. Other than the constraints posed by the physical measures, the controversies over the brain changes associated with the development also create confusions with our comprehension. Apart from inferior prefrontal areas, other brain regions may also facilitate cognitive flexibility, as correlations exist between dlPFC and the parietal cortex, so the inferior PFC may not be fully responsible for cognitive shifting tasks (Moriguchi & Hiraki, 2009). In short, although there are a large amount of corroboration supporting that the PFC predominates in the cognitive flexibility domain, further research is needed for the possibility of other brain areas which may also be influential to the