Executive function in preschoolers: Links with theory of mind and verbal ability

Background: Studies have implicated hypofrontality in the pathogenesis of impaired theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF) in major depressive disorder (MDD). These symptoms are usually resistant to treatment. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to reverse hypofrontality. Moreover, BDNF is an effective biomarker of antidepressant effects, but there have been very few studies on the correlation between BDNF and rTMS. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 20 sessions of a 10 Hz unilateral rTMS intervention over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in improving ToM and EF in patients with MDD and its correlation with BDNF. Methods: A total of 120 MDD patients were enrolled in this randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind trial. Each participant received 20 sessions of rTMS at 10 Hz frequency through the active or the sham coil over 4 weeks. ToM was assessed with the facial emotion identification test (FEIT) and hinting task (HT). EF was assessed with the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST). BDNF assessments were carried out at baseline and 2-, 4-, 12-, and 24-week follow-ups. Results: The improvement in the ToM (FEIT, HT) in the active rTMS group was significantly different from that in the sham rTMS group (F = 18.09, p < 0.001; F = 5.02, p = 0.026). There were significant differences in the WCST (categories completed, response errors, response perseverative errors, non-response perseverative errors) after logarithmic transformation at different time points in the active rTMS group (F = 14.71, p < 0.001; F = 5.99, p = 0.046; F = 8.90, p = 0.031; F = 2.31, p = 0.048). However, there was no significant difference in log transformed BDNF concentration between the two groups (t = 0.07 to t = 1.29, p > 0.05). BDNF was negatively correlated with WCST categories completed at the 24th week (r = −0.258, p = 0.046). Conclusions: The results show that rTMS may improve the ToM and EF of patients with MDD and there was no significant correlation with serum BDNF concentration. RTMS can not only be used for treatment of patients with MDD but also has a positive effect on ToM and EF.

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Social competence, theory of mind, and executive function in institution-reared Turkish children

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1177/0165025414556095 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 39 (6) ◽

pp. 519-529 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Evren Etel ◽

Bilge Yagmurlu

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Social Competence ◽

Mental State ◽

Cultural Context ◽

Receptive Language ◽

Scaling Analysis ◽

Turkish Children ◽

The Social ◽

Behavioral Assessments

This study had two aims. The first aim was to measure mental state understanding in institution-reared children by using a theory of mind (ToM) scale, and to examine the role of cultural context in sequencing of ToM acquisition. The other aim was to investigate ToM in relation to social competence and executive function (EF). Due to its pronounced role in mental state understanding and social interactions, we assessed receptive language as well. The participants were 107 institution-reared children aged 3 to 5 years in Turkey. Two visits were held within 2 days for behavioral assessments. In the first visit, the ToM scale was administered; in the second visit, the child was given the language test and the EF tasks. The social competence scales were completed by the child’s primary care provider in the institution. Guttman scaling analysis revealed that an understanding of diverse beliefs developed earlier than knowledge access, favoring the “individualistic pattern.” The regression analysis showed that EF was a significant predictor of ToM, but neither of them was associated with social competence when age was controlled. Receptive language predicted social competence and EF directly, and ToM indirectly through EF, pointing to the importance of this ability for early development.

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A Multi-Method Investigation of Pragmatic Development in Individuals With Down Syndrome

American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1352/1944-7558-122.4.289 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 122 (4) ◽

pp. 289-309 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Michelle Lee ◽

Lauren Bush ◽

Gary E. Martin ◽

Jamie Barstein ◽

Nell Maltman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Executive Function ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Parent Report ◽

Standardized Assessments ◽

Pragmatic Competence ◽

Pragmatic Language ◽

Expressive Vocabulary ◽

Pragmatic Development ◽

Mental Age

Abstract This longitudinal study examined pragmatic language in boys and girls with Down syndrome (DS) at up to three time points, using parent report, standardized and direct assessments. We also explored relationships among theory of mind, executive function, nonverbal mental age, receptive and expressive vocabulary, grammatical complexity, and pragmatic competence. Controlling for cognitive and language abilities, children with DS demonstrated greater difficulty than younger typically developing controls on parent report and standardized assessments, but only girls with DS differed on direct assessments. Further, pragmatic skills of individuals with DS developed at a delayed rate relative to controls. Some sex-specific patterns of pragmatic impairments emerged. Theory of mind and executive function both correlated with pragmatic competence. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.

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Effects of Maternal Parenting Behavior and Preschoolers’ Executive Function on Preschoolers’ Theory of Mind

Korean Journal of Child Studies ◽

10.5723/kjcs.2018.39.1.103 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 103-117

Author(s):

Moonyoung Jang ◽

Nana Shin

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Parenting Behavior ◽

Maternal Parenting

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Individual differences in executive function partially explain the socioeconomic gradient in middle-school academic achievement

10.31234/osf.io/dkjn9 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dustin Albert ◽

Jamie Lars Hanson ◽

Ann Skinner ◽

Ken Dodge ◽

Laurence Steinberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Low Socioeconomic Status ◽

Classroom Practice ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Math Achievement ◽

Verbal Ability ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Socioeconomic Gradient ◽

Reading And Math ◽

Math Proficiency

Children from families with low socioeconomic status (SES) earn lower grades, perform worse on achievement tests, and attain less education on average than their peers from higher-SES families. We evaluated neurocognitive mediators of SES disparities in achievement in a diverse sample of youth whose data were linked to administrative records of performance on school-administered tests of 7th grade reading and math proficiency (*N*=203). We used structural equation modeling to evaluate whether associations between SES (measured at ages 8-9) and achievement (measured at age 13) are mediated by verbal ability and executive function (measured at age 10), a suite of top-down mental processes that facilitate control of thinking and behavior. Children from relatively higher-SES families performed better than their lower-SES peers on all neurocognitive and achievement measures, and SES disparities in both reading and math achievement were partially mediated by variation in executive function, but not verbal ability. SES disparities in executive function explained approximately 37% of the SES gap in math achievement and 17% of the SES gap in reading achievement. Exploratory modeling suggests that SES-related variation in working memory may play a particularly prominent role in mediation. We discuss potential implications of these findings for research, intervention programming, and classroom practice.

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The Role of Socioeconomic Adversity and Armed Conflict in Executive Function, Theory of Mind and Empathy in Children

Child Psychiatry & Human Development ◽

10.1007/s10578-021-01270-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Buket Kara ◽

Bilge Selcuk

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Armed Conflict ◽

Function Theory

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Understanding Cognition and Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Teaching Music to Students with Autism ◽

10.1093/oso/9780190063177.003.0004 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 67-86

Author(s):

Alice M. Hammel ◽

Ryan M. Hourigan

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Executive Function ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Joint Attention ◽

Music Cognition ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Central Coherence ◽

Music Classroom ◽

Students With Autism

One of the most unique attributes of students with autism is the distinct way they think. This chapter sheds light on the cognitive world of students with autism in the music classroom. The following topics are included: theory of mind; central coherence; executive function; joint attention (and cognition); and music cognition and students with autism.

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The mentalizing network and theory of mind mediate adjustment after childhood traumatic brain injury

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience ◽

10.1093/scan/nsaa006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (12) ◽

pp. 1285-1295 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kristen R Hoskinson ◽

Erin D Bigler ◽

Tracy J Abildskov ◽

Maureen Dennis ◽

H Gerry Taylor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Executive Function ◽

Social Cognition ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Psychosocial Adjustment ◽

Right Hemisphere ◽

Brain Networks ◽

The United States ◽

Severe Tbi

Abstract Childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects over 600 000 children per year in the United States. Following TBI, children are vulnerable to deficits in psychosocial adjustment and neurocognition, including social cognition, which persist long-term. They are also susceptible to direct and secondary damage to related brain networks. In this study, we examine whether brain morphometry of the mentalizing network (MN) and theory of mind (ToM; one component of social cognition) mediates the effects of TBI on adjustment. Children with severe TBI (n = 15, Mage = 10.32), complicated mild/moderate TBI (n = 30, Mage = 10.81) and orthopedic injury (OI; n = 42, Mage = 10.65) completed measures of ToM and executive function and underwent MRI; parents rated children’s psychosocial adjustment. Children with severe TBI demonstrated reduced right-hemisphere MN volume, and poorer ToM, vs children with OI. Ordinary least-squares path analysis indicated that right-hemisphere MN volume and ToM mediated the association between severe TBI and adjustment. Parallel analyses substituting the central executive network and executive function were not significant, suggesting some model specificity. Children at greatest risk of poor adjustment after TBI could be identified based in part on neuroimaging of social brain networks and assessment of social cognition and thereby more effectively allocate limited intervention resources.

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