An athlete taking an executive function test before the period of aerobic exercise and again after the period may find issues with executive function improved. However, exercise may also improve executive functioning in healthy individuals.

Exercise and Concussions: Executive Function

How exercising post-concussion may offer harm reduction to symptoms involving executive functioning.

Michigan State University

Executive functioning occurs as a cognitive process that creates and allows for a person to exhibit every behavior and develop a mental plan to tackle new situations or environments.

Executive Functioning

Snyder, A., Greif, S., Clugston, J., FitzGerald, D., Yarrow, J., Babikian, T., . . . Bauer, R. (2021). The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Concussion Recovery: A Pilot Clinical Trial. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 27(8), 790-804. doi:10.1017/S1355617721000886

The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Concussion Recovery: A Pilot Clinical Trial

Zelazo, P. D., Muller, U., Frye, D., &amp; Marcovitch, S. (2003). The development of executive function in early childhood (Vol. 68). Blackwell. 

The development of executive function in early childhood

Hoskyn, M., Iarocci, G., &amp; Young, A. R. (2017). Executive functions in children's Everyday lives: A handbook for professionals in Applied Psychology. Oxford University Press.

Executive functions in children's Everyday lives: A handbook for professionals in Applied Psychology

The domains of executive functioning (specifically in children) include:
- working memory
- planning
- set shifting
- response inhibition/inhibitory control

The Domains of Executive Functioning

Moriguchi, Y. (2021). Relationship between cool and hot executive function in young children: A near‐infrared spectroscopy study. Developmental Science, 25(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13165 

Relationship between cool and hot executive function in young children: A near‐infrared spectroscopy study

According to Zelazo and Carlson, executive functioning can be further defined and separated into two categories: hot and cool executive functions. Hot executive functioning involves the thought processes associated with affective conditions, such as; delay of gratification and decision making. Cool executive functioning involves cognitive tasks that work constantly in everyday circumstances. For example, one cool executive function is working memory. 

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