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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
12:21
Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
Deconstructing executive deficits among persons with autism: implications for cognitive neuroscience
Natalie Russo1, Tara Flanagan, Grace Iarocci
1Department of Educational Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Brain and Cognition
|September 11, 2007
Summary
Individuals with autism show executive function (EF) challenges, including inhibition, working memory, and set shifting. This review examines EF development in autism, considering methodological issues in research.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Cognitive psychology
- Developmental neuroscience
Background:
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit executive function (EF) impairments compared to neurotypical individuals.
- Executive functions encompass inhibition, working memory, and set shifting, crucial for adaptive behavior and developing throughout life.
- EF deficits in ASD can manifest early and persist, or represent transient delays, complicating developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To dissect the specific executive function processes (inhibition, working memory, set shifting) in individuals with autism.
- To adopt a developmental perspective to understand the nuances of EF development in autism.
- To address methodological challenges in autism research, particularly concerning measure matching and participant selection.
Main Methods:
- This review synthesizes existing research on executive function in autism.
- It focuses on breaking down inhibition, working memory, and set shifting processes.
- The analysis emphasizes a developmental viewpoint and discusses methodological considerations.
Main Results:
- Individuals with autism display distinct patterns of impairment across different executive function components.
- Developmental trajectories of EF in autism are influenced by the specific cognitive processes examined.
- Methodological choices, such as matching measures and comparison groups, significantly impact findings.
Conclusions:
- Understanding executive function development in autism requires a nuanced approach that considers individual differences and methodological rigor.
- Addressing challenges in measure matching and participant selection is critical for accurate interpretation of EF research in ASD.
- Further research from a developmental perspective is needed to fully elucidate EF profiles in autism.
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