Executive Functions

Executive Functions are a set of cognitive processes that allows to manage complex or unusual situations successfully. They regulate analysis, planning, control and coordination of the cognitive system, and control the activation and use of knowledge processes. It is widely believed that Executive Functions play a fundamental role in 'smart' behavior and that they can be trained and improved through specific exercises. Main executive functions are the acquisition and updating of Working Memory, Cognitive Flexibility and Behavioral Inhibition. The "Executive Functions" series of apps is dedicated to the exercise and improvement of these skills. The first app, which is presented here, is dedicated to 'Working Memory', and proposes many exercises to verify, improve and use the ability to remember, recall and discriminate in the short term some elements that can be images, colors, words, voices or combinations thereof. Each exercise/level is divided into two stages: during the first, a set of stimuli is presented which must be memorized. Then, in the second stage it is required to use, list and/or discriminate between the elements presented. At the end of each exercise the app shows the result obtained and assigns scores and evaluations taking into account the relative difficulty, the number of elements proposed, the time taken and so on. "Executive Functions" contains over 200 "cards" and their names, written and recorded with a female and male voice. The ‘cards’ represent animals, food, means of transport, numbers, etc. and are used to propose 349 exercises/levels generated and managed automatically for a very high number of possible combinations.