Executive Function

"Executive Function" is a descriptor in the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings). Descriptors are arranged in a hierarchical structure, which enables searching at various levels of specificity.

MeSH information

Definition | Details | More General Concepts | Related Concepts | More Specific Concepts

A set of cognitive functions that controls complex, goal-directed thought and behavior. Executive function involves multiple domains, such as CONCEPT FORMATION, goal management, cognitive flexibility, INHIBITION control, and WORKING MEMORY. Impaired executive function is seen in a range of disorders, e.g., SCHIZOPHRENIA; and ADHD.

Descriptor ID	D056344
MeSH Number(s)	F02.463.217
Concept/Terms	Executive Function Executive Function Executive Functions Function, Executive Functions, Executive Executive Control Executive Controls

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more general than "Executive Function".

Psychiatry and Psychology [F]
Psychological Phenomena [F02]
Mental Processes [F02.463]
Executive Function [F02.463.217]

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is related to "Executive Function".

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more specific than "Executive Function".

publications

Timeline | Most Recent

This graph shows the total number of publications written about "Executive Function" by people in this website by year, and whether "Executive Function" was a major or minor topic of these publications.

Bar chart showing 61 publications over 17 distinct years, with a maximum of 7 publications in 2022

To see the data from this visualization as text, click here.

Year	Major Topic	Minor Topic	Total
2010	1	0	1
2011	3	1	4
2012	1	1	2
2013	1	2	3
2014	2	1	3
2015	0	5	5
2016	4	0	4
2017	1	3	4
2018	2	4	6
2019	5	0	5
2020	4	1	5
2021	2	3	5
2022	3	4	7
2023	0	1	1
2024	2	1	3
2025	1	0	1
2026	0	2	2

Below are the most recent publications written about "Executive Function" by people in Profiles.

Tang R, Beck A, Gustavson DE, Eyler LT, Elman JA, Bell TR, Buchholz E, Hunt JFV, Vo TT, Fennema-Notestine C, Lyons MJ, Panizzon MS, Reynolds CA, Kremen WS, Franz CE. Young adult urbanicity, late midlife neighborhood disadvantage, and cognitive functioning in community-dwelling older men. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2026 Jul 01; 81(8).

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Tang R, Elman JA, Hunt JFV, Eyler LT, Bell TR, Buchholz E, Fennema-Notestine C, Lyons MJ, Panizzon MS, Reynolds CA, Vo TT, Kremen WS, Franz CE. Neighborhood disadvantage and cognitive function in older adults: The moderating role of young adult general cognitive ability. Health Place. 2026 Jul; 100:103690.

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Bell TR, Elman JA, Gustavson DE, Lyons MJ, Fennema-Notestine C, Williams ME, Panizzon MS, Pearce RC, Reynolds CA, Sanderson-Cimino M, Toomey R, Jak A, Franz CE, Kremen WS. History of chronic pain and opioid use is associated with cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2025 May; 31(4):307-317.

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Fama R, Sassoon SA, M?ller-Oehring EM, Saranathan M, Pohl KM, Zahr NM, Pfefferbaum A, Sullivan EV. Anterior and posterior thalamic volumes differentially correlate with memory, attention, and motor processes in HIV infection and alcohol use disorder comorbidity. Brain Res Bull. 2024 10 15; 217:111085.

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Andrews P, Vega JN, Szymkowicz SM, Newhouse P, Tyndale R, Elson D, Kang H, Siddiqi S, Tyner EB, Mather K, Gunning FM, Taylor WD. Effects of open-label transdermal nicotine antidepressant augmentation on affective symptoms and executive function in late-life depression. J Affect Disord. 2024 Oct 01; 362:416-424.

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Gustavson DE, Elman JA, Reynolds CA, Eyler LT, Fennema-Notestine C, Puckett OK, Panizzon MS, Gillespie NA, Neale MC, Lyons MJ, Franz CE, Kremen WS. Brain reserve in midlife is associated with executive function changes across 12 years. Neurobiol Aging. 2024 09; 141:113-120.

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Lynch JD, Tamm L, Garner AA, Avion AA, Fisher DL, Kiefer AW, Peugh J, Simon JO, Epstein JN. Executive Functioning as a Predictor of Adverse Driving Outcomes in Teen Drivers With ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2023 12; 27(14):1650-1661.

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Gustavson DE, Archer DB, Elman JA, Puckett OK, Fennema-Notestine C, Panizzon MS, Shashikumar N, Hohman TJ, Jefferson AL, Eyler LT, McEvoy LK, Lyons MJ, Franz CE, Kremen WS. Associations among executive function Abilities, free Water, and white matter microstructure in early old age. Neuroimage Clin. 2023; 37:103279.

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Tang R, Elman JA, Franz CE, Dale AM, Eyler LT, Fennema-Notestine C, Hagler DJ, Lyons MJ, Panizzon MS, Puckett OK, Kremen WS. Longitudinal association of executive function and structural network controllability in the aging brain. Geroscience. 2023 04; 45(2):837-849.

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Ahmad M, Bola L, Boutabla A, King S, Lewis RF, Chari DA. Visuospatial Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients with Vestibular Loss. Otol Neurotol. 2022 12 01; 43(10):e1140-e1147.

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