Hot executive function in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Deficits of cool executive function (EF) have been shown in children with motor problems (or Developmental Coordination Disorder—DCD), with implications for the planning of goal-directed action. However, there is little if any work on the possible link between DCD and hot EF. Given that hot EF predicts important developmental outcomes and underlie age-appropriate cognitive and social functioning, it was the broad aim of my thesis to investigate hot EF in DCD using state-of-the-art measures designed for children. EF is an umbrella term that refers to a set of neurocognitive processes involved in conscious and effortful control of thought, emotion, and behaviour. Broadly, it can be divided into cool and hot EF. Cool EF is mainly subserved by lateral prefrontal cortex (L-PFC), enlisted when one deals with abstract and decontextualised stimuli. In contrast, hot EF is linked to ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VM-PFC), active in many real-life situations that are characterised by high affective involvement; here, one needs to consider or reappraise the emotional/motivational significance of stimuli and refrain from impulsive actions...