Clinical neurology and executive dysfunction

Executive function is a uniquely human ability that permits an individual to plan, carry out, and monitor a sequence of actions that is intended to accomplish a goal. This crucial neurobehavioral capacity depends on the integrity of the frontal lobes, most importantly the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices and their connections. Executive dysfunction is associated with a wide range of neurologic disorders that affect these regions. In this paper, executive dysfunction is considered from the perspective of behavioral neurology, and the lesion method is employed to illustrate this impairment in a diverse group of disorders. Frontal system damage leading to disturbed executive function is common and clinically significant. Recognition of this syndrome is critical for ensuring the correct diagnosis, accurate prognosis, and appropriate treatment of affected patients. Executive dysfunction also represents an intriguing aspect of brain-behavior relationships and offers important insights into one of the highest cerebral functions.