Impaired executive functioning

What it means

A disturbance of executive functioning, which is broadly defined as the set of abilities that allow for the planning, executing, monitoring, and self-correcting of goal-directed behavior while inhibiting task-irrelevant behavior. At least some degree of executive skill is needed to complete most cognitive tasks, and deficits in executive abilities are central to many clinical conditions, including fronto-temporal dementia.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category