ABSTRACT
Human behaviour is a mixture of automatic routines and consciously controlled actions. Executive control is the general term to describe the set of cognitive skills used to consciously control behaviour such as thinking, problem solving and the inhibition of action. Executive control 'governs' other brain functions, mediating between two sources of information. It allows for the integration of this information with previous experience in order to plan and make decisions. Problems with executive control following damage to non-frontal brain regions are less common, but do occur. Problems with executive control often require both internal and external compensatory strategies to successfully manage their impact on everyday life. Evaluation and intervention are two parts of the same process, and do not necessarily occur in a linear fashion. This is particularly true when dealing with problems with executive control. Problems with executive control are common with many diseases/pathologies that affect the frontal lobes.
