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Tonight, I'm going to explain how your brain is SUPPOSED to react to events you experience or conversations you have using Russell Barkley's Hybrid Neuropsychological Model of Executive (Self-Regulatory) Functions.
As I do, you'll start to realize this isn't how #ADHD does it.
As I do, you'll start to realize this isn't how #ADHD does it.
And it all is covered in this chart.
This is basically Barkley taking what he learned from two other scientists, Jacob Bronowski and Joaquin Fuster. Both are fascinating and well-respected figures.
In this thread, I got through Barkley's summations: https://twitter.com/3TrackMind79/status/1301023917499449350
This is basically Barkley taking what he learned from two other scientists, Jacob Bronowski and Joaquin Fuster. Both are fascinating and well-respected figures.
In this thread, I got through Barkley's summations: https://twitter.com/3TrackMind79/status/1301023917499449350
Bronowski and Fuster both said the prefrontal cortex was responsible for figuring out the steps necessary to achieve future goals. This reconstitution is an analytic-synthetic ability involving remembering past experiences and projecting the lessons learned into the future.
Barkley takes Bronowski/Fuster theories and proposes that having the ability to inhibit your response to events or conversations is key to permitting four executive abilities to work properly. These include working memory, internalized speech, self-regulation, and reconstitution.
In other words, if you can't stop intrusive thoughts or stimuli or memories, then it'll disrupt your ability to effectively use executive abilities. And what's more, disinhibition and poor executive abilities can impact your motor system's ability to DO the things you need to do.
Let's take a closer look at the chart.
First up is behavioral inhibition, which I most often think of as "Not screaming at the anti-masker at the grocery store." But Barkley describes three specific functions of behavioral inhibition.
First up is behavioral inhibition, which I most often think of as "Not screaming at the anti-masker at the grocery store." But Barkley describes three specific functions of behavioral inhibition.
1. What's your immediate reaction? Okay, let's hold off on that and consider the possibilities.
2. Pull back on any ongoing response to consider the possibilities.
3. Interference control
The first two prevent us from acting without thinking. The third one allows reconstitution.
2. Pull back on any ongoing response to consider the possibilities.
3. Interference control
The first two prevent us from acting without thinking. The third one allows reconstitution.
Barkley describes interference control as a "the protection of this period of delay and the self-directed responses that occur within it from disruption by competing events and responses."
I don't know about #TeamADHD, but nobody upstairs is running interference control for me!
I don't know about #TeamADHD, but nobody upstairs is running interference control for me!
So, NTs have the ability to use behavioral inhibition to NOT respond or keep responding with your first reaction AND the ability to block out distractions when you're considering how you SHOULD respond.
Meanwhile, we have hair triggers and dizzying amounts of interference.
Meanwhile, we have hair triggers and dizzying amounts of interference.
I'm going to publish this now, but I will continue adding to it. I'm not sure I can get to all four executive abilities AND motor control tonight. I will get as far as I can.
The first executive ability is our old friend Working Memory, described as the place where "goals and intentions to act are retained and that action plans are formulated and used to guide the performance of the goal-directed responses."
Working Memory is responsible for a LOT.
Working Memory is responsible for a LOT.
I'm going to keep using this metaphor because it works for me. After an event or in the midst of a conversation, your prefrontal cortex (PC) is reviewing memories for relevant responses. When you find one, you need to hold onto that while applying it to a potential response.
Imagine your PC brings up a relevant memory on your brain's "screen," but the second you switch to running scenarios for the present situation using past memories, a glitch suddenly deletes the memory. It's going to make responding difficult.
What stands out to me is how working memory is responsible for hindsight and forethought, and how hindsight is necessary for much forethought.
For me, this is absolutely a deficit of mine when responding in the moment.
For me, this is absolutely a deficit of mine when responding in the moment.
The other is cross-temporal organization of behavior, or "Remembering how to do shit and using that memory to do shit again effectively."
If your PC memory screen is glitchy, you aren't going to have those past frames of references to direct you. It's like you've never done it.
If your PC memory screen is glitchy, you aren't going to have those past frames of references to direct you. It's like you've never done it.
What I'm learning from this paper above anything else is that interference control is a critical piece of working memory. If you can't block distractions from disrupting the processes of remembering and projecting, you'll struggle to see the full picture.
Okay, pausing here for the night. I will be back tomorrow night. I've already read and highlighted the shit outta everything!
