Cognitive Restructuring Techniques. Amantadine: Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) tend to have reductions in impulse control, which can contribute to behaviors of excess gambling, sexuality, and shopping. A study published in 2010 involved reviewing relationships between language, inner speech, and cognitive control in both adults and children – they specifically analyzed cognitive flexibility. Amantadine) may activate certain neural mechanisms associated with increased cognitive flexibility. Understand that the degree by which certain tactics increase cognitive flexibility is subject to significant individual variation. They are notorious for generating novel solutions, behaviors, and cultural practices. Cognitive flexibility has been described as the mental ability to switch between thinking about two different concepts, and to think about multiple concepts simultaneously. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained within this work are not intended as a substitute for consulting with a medical doctor. You can also subscribe without commenting. Practice thinking creatively. Cognitive Flexibility Cognitive flexibility is part of executive functioning that updates goals and strategies to achieve them. When looking at other people’s cognitive distortions, they … “I Don’t Allow Men I Sleep with to Kiss Me", One of the Most Contagious and Dangerous Attitude Biases, Psychology Today © 2021 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Surprising Benefits of Physical Exercise on Sex and Orgasms, Two Ways Religion and Spirituality Help to Boost Resilience, How Social Restrictions Impact Human Trafficking, Why Some Bipolar Disorder Patients Are Lithium Non-Responders, Rats Cut Deals and Trade Different Favors With One Another. We all have routines and they bring us a sense of predictability and even comfort. A high degree of cognitive flexibility is associated with increased fluid intelligence, superior reading and comprehension, as well as a healthier brain. You may be wondering, what’s the big deal? Adapt, pivot, innovate. In addition it is also important to consider the fact that short-term increases in cognitive flexibility as a result of treatment do not account for long-term changes. This ability is generally considered part of the executive function of the brain. Due to the fact that serotonin (5-HT) influences cognitive flexibility, researchers designed a study in which they would manipulate serotonin levels and determine changes in cognitive flexibility. And finally, being a passenger is just as stressful for rats as it is for people! Results: In the first study, individuals with better cognitive flexibility at 1 month post-trauma showed significantly less severe PTSD symptoms after 13 months (p = 0.002). planning, cognitive flexibility, behavioral inhibition, organization, self-monitoring and memory. It has been noted to improve stroke rehabilitation in rodents, particularly the aspects of motor and cognitive recovery. While it is unknown as to whether the disorder lead to poor cognitive flexibility or vice-versa, there is evidence that cognitive flexibility can be increased. Individuals with psychiatric conditions characterized by altered dopaminergic signaling, particularly in the frontostriatal circuit may have impaired cognitive flexibility. Prior to the 2015 publication, L-Tyrosine supplementation was associated with increased cognitive control in response to scenarios with high cognitive demands. L-Tyrosine is present in a variety of foods and is known as a monoamine precursor, converting to the neurotransmitter dopamine. Second, once rats learned the basics, they accepted more challenges, not fewer. Results suggested that individuals receiving L-Tyrosine supplementation had increased cognitive flexibility compared to those receiving a placebo. There are many scientifically proven methods that can be utilized to increase cognitive flexibility. Evidence from this report suggests that certain genetic underpinnings (or correlates) can likely decrease cognitive flexibility, but others may increase it. Regarding therapeutical efforts to improve cognitive flexibility among individuals with autism, the effects of direct EF interventions in ASD have presented mixed results, either positive or null (de Vries, Prins, Schmand, & Geurts, 2015). Results from the study suggested that MLC901 promoted hippocampal neurogenesis as evidenced by an increase in the number of neurons within the hippocampus. Dr. Jennifer Verdolin is an animal behavior scientist specializing in social behavior. These changes were monitored in individuals with first-episode schizophrenia who were treated with antipsychotics for 6 weeks and compared them with a control group. A cognitive intervention is a form of psychological intervention, a technique and therapy practised in counselling.It describes a myriad of approaches to therapy that focus on addressing psychological distress at a cognitive level. Do you think it’s important to specifically study the mechanisms of cognitive flexibility? Cognitive Flexibility, Communication Strategy, and Integrative Complexity in Groups: Public versus Private Reactions to Majority and Minority Status Deborah H Gruenfeld Northwestern University and Melissa C. Thomas-Hunt and Peter H. Kim Washington University Received: December 16, 1996; revised: September 15, 1997; accepted: December 4, 1997 Various disorders such as ADHD, OCD, and substance dependence are often accompanied by rigid thinking and individuals with these disorders seriously lack cognitive flexibility. Research published in 2015 supports the idea that L-Tyrosine (an essential amino acid)... 2. How to approach problems and solutions is inhibitory processing (Faja, 2015; Nigg, 2000). Eventually we humans caught on, right? Some, such as poking each other in the eye as a test of faith and potentially friendship, are perhaps less than spectacular, but nevertheless, avant-garde. It appears as though inner speech may increase top-down control during shifting of thoughts (i.e. Third, after the rats mastered the task, their stress levels went down. Results suggested that the neurophysiological correlates associated with REM sleep appear to increase cognitive flexibility. In studies conducted in rodents (Mongolian gerbils), removal of the extracellular matrix increased cognitive flexibility in a reversal learning. It is... 3. As aging is associated with decreased cognitive functioning, the prevalence of age-related cognitive decline is an increasingly important issue. 8 8. If you’re going to add inner speech as a “to-do” for cognitive flexibility, focus on coherency and maintain linguistic format. Results demonstrated that bromocriptine administration improved cognitive flexibility, but only among individuals with polymorphisms associated with low baseline levels of dopamine. To watch rats driving their special rat cars, you can see a small clip here. Previous studies have found that PTSD is associated with hippocampal-related impairment in cognitive flexibility. For example, dancing, martial arts, boxing, and painting all challenge your body and mind to work together to learn a new skill. Dreams have been described as dress rehearsals for real life, opportunities to gratify wishes, and a form of nocturnal therapy. It is unknown as to how memantine administration would affect those without neurodegeneration and/or of normative psychological health. Regular physical exercise is associated with increased BDNF levels and the growth of new brain cells in a process called neurogenesis. Since there are established associations between stress levels and cognitive flexibility, and also symbiotic relationships between stress and hormones, it is possible to consider that levels of certain hormones could alter both stress and/or cognitive flexibility. Furthermore, it is unknown as to whether memantine elicits a sustained increase in cognitive flexibility over an extended duration. Indeed, those species that exhibit less cognitive bias, also have a much stronger capacity for moral reasoning and fairness. It was speculated that the high MDMA decreased dopamine transporter (DAT) functionality. Individuals with rigidity of thinking are unable to adjust their thoughts and perspectives to accommodate novel stimuli and unexpected situations; these are people that are “set in their ways,” closed-minded, and set in their ways. mice with normative cognitive function). Behavioural Brain Research, p.112309. They used a “task switch” paradigm to determine how the altitude changes influenced cognitive flexibility, while simultaneously recording participant anxiety levels. Researchers attempted to determine whether the video game training would increase cognitive flexibility, and if so, the mechanisms behind the increase. Due to lack of long-term research with many of these compounds, it is unknown how long the increase in cognitive flexibility is sustained, and/or whether potential rigidity may result from consistent long-term administration of a specific drug. Posted by 6 years ago. Certain individuals lack cognitive flexibility, and are said to have “rigidity of thought” which usually translates to rigidity of behavior. 2. In 2013, a study was published that determined the effects of neurotoxic and non-neurotoxic MDMA doses in mice. Keep in mind that all of the things that deplete cognitive flexibility are not necessarily yet known and/or documented by science. These difficulties impact many spheres of the educational experience: academic, social, emotional, and behavioral. In short, we are incredibly biased. They compared the effect of omega-3 supplementation on neural activation in these individuals. There are many benefits of omega-3 fatty acid intake, specifically DHA and EPA. Dysfunction of D2 signaling and low baseline dopamine may contribute to poorer cognitive flexibility. To determine how DAT1 influenced cognitive flexibility, researchers assigned a task-switching protocol to a sample of individuals and determined differences based on polymorphisms. Although the study was conducted in mice, it appears that gut microbes change when the mice were fed diets high in fat, and high in sucrose. Scientific Reports, 2019; 9 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49658-0. Archived. All of these benefits allow those individuals to outperform others in a variety of circumstances (social, academic, political, business, etc.). One example, again from rats, is that rats tend to see all other rats as more similar to themselves, while we humans hold tightly to our in-out group tendencies. In addition, you may want to include fermented foods in your diet and consider taking a high quality probiotic for maximum cognitive flexibility. In addition to increasing cognitive flexibility, there is evidence that omega-3s enhance other mental processes. So go ahead and be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Working memory training: A study published in 2013 suggested that working memory training programs may increase cognitive flexibility. However, little is known about this impairment following nature adventure interventions. Results suggested that awakening during REM resulted in a 32% increase in anagrams solved compared to awakening during NREM sleep. Before describing the results, I should warn you that capuchin monkeys are true innovators. This method is completely reversible, but temporarily lowers both plasma tryptophan concentrations and serotonin in the brain. One of the measures included within the study was cognitive flexibility. It means that most humans are pretty bad at optimal decision-making. Due in part to dramatic improvements in medical science, our aging population is expanding rapidly. Ingestion of L-Tyrosine tends to increase dopamine levels in the brain, and may enhance cognition (as a nootropic) while bolstering your flexibility of cognition. Cognitive retraining interventions also can be used to help individuals accommodate areas of dysfunction, even if underlying deficits do not change. Specifically, it appears as though there is a direct relationship between cognitive flexibility and omgega-3 biomarkers. Here's the big deal. This anxiety has potential to decrease performance in a “task switch” paradigm which is indicative of cognitive flexibility. Researchers determined cognitive flexibility with a Test for Attentional Performance (TAP). It seems that once we learn something one way, we stick with it even if there is a faster, better, more effective approach. Decline of cognitive control, memory, and decision-making, among other functions, leads to greater dependence on family membe… An individual who is able to switch quickly from thinking about one concept, characteristic, or perspective to another – would be said to possess a high degree of cognitive flexibility. Following short-term antipsychotic treatment, performance on the Test for Attentional Performance (TAP) significantly increased. 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