Neural variability and flexibility may underlie cognitive flexibility, with an optimal level required across the lifespan¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2015 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2020: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Greater variability of functional connection strengths across time is seen with increasing age in typical development, but excessive neural variability may be maladaptive in disorders such as ASD. → Dajani 2015

Evidence¶

Dajani 2015¶

Dajani, D. R., & Uddin, L. Q. (2015). Demystifying cognitive flexibility: Implications for clinical and developmental neuroscience. Trends in Neurosciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2015.07.003

q2 · i? · review · r3

Narrative review of emerging neuroimaging literature. Although neural variability appears beneficial in typical development, "excessive neural variability may be maladaptive in clinical disorders such as ASD", with EEG and fMRI studies reporting excessive variability in primary sensory regions in ASD.

"It has recently been demonstrated that in typical development, greater variability of functional connection strengths across time can be seen with increasing age"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Executive Function — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• The four published neuroimaging studies of cognitive flexibility in ASD report inconsistent activation differences, with altered profiles possibly compensatory — related
• Metacognitive reflection training improves young children's DCCS performance, with behavioral and neural changes — related
• ASD shows a distinct executive dysfunction profile of impaired cognitive flexibility and planning with intact inhibitory control
• Distinct brain systems support learning of information consistent versus inconsistent with existing knowledge — related