Funzioni esecutive in bambini e ragazzi con Disturbi Pervasivi dello Sviluppo

Executive function (EF) is as a group of relatively independent cognitive abilities that includes working memory, inhibitory control, shifting, planning and attentional control. This research is aimed to study the executive profile in children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Literature demonstrates that people with PDD have difficulties in tasks that requires inhibition or shifting abilities. Our results show some differences in the executive profile between children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and children with PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDDnos). Children with AS show a better executive profile than children with PDDnos that display significant falls in the inhibitory control and in the complex functions that involve also inhibition