In studies of children adopted from institutions, early institutionalization has been associated consistently with an increased risk of persistent cognitive, academic, and social‐emotional problems. These findings raise questions about the neurocognitive mechanisms that contribute to these negative outcomes. Theory and models based on studies of animals indicate that development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and executive function (EF) may be particularly susceptible to environmental influences during early childhood. In this article, we review recent studies of postinstitutionalized children that examined EF components such as inhibitory control, working memory, shifting, and planning. We then describe emerging research on the structure and function of the PFC. Converging evidence suggests both EF difficulties and alterations in development of the PFC following early institutionalization. We conclude by discussing possible explanations for these findings and implications for prevention and intervention, and by offering suggestions for ongoing research.

中文翻译：

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以前寄养在儿童中的执行功能。

在对从机构收养的儿童的研究中，早期的机构化与持续存在的认知，学术和社会情感问题的风险不断增加相关。这些发现提出了有关导致这些负面结果的神经认知机制的问题。基于动物研究的理论和模型表明，前额叶皮层（PFC）和执行功能（EF）的发育在儿童早期可能特别容易受到环境的影响。在本文中，我们回顾了对入院后儿童的近期研究，这些研究检查了EF成分，例如抑制性控制，工作记忆，转移和计划。然后，我们描述有关PFC的结构和功能的新兴研究。越来越多的证据表明，早期机构化后，EF困难和PFC的发展发生变化。最后，我们讨论了这些发现的可能解释以及对预防和干预的意义，并为正在进行的研究提供了建议。