Executive functions (EFs) are essential cognitive abilities that enable mentally manipulating ideas, delaying action, adapting to new challenges, resisting temptation, and maintaining focus. Core EFs include inhibition (response inhibition and interference control), working memory (WM), and cognitive flexibility. Inhibition involves controlling attention, behavior, and emotions to override impulses or distractions. WM allows holding and manipulating information mentally, while cognitive flexibility involves adapting to changing circumstances and thinking creatively. Inhibitory control is crucial for self-regulation, attention, and effortful control. It enables selective attention, suppressing prepotent responses, and resisting distractions. Self-control involves resisting temptations and delaying gratification, which is vital for long-term goals. Inhibitory control tasks, such as the Stroop task, Simon task, and go/no-go tasks, assess these abilities. These tasks often require inhibitory control, though some argue they may not always do so. Working memory and inhibitory control are closely linked. WM supports inhibitory control by maintaining relevant information and suppressing irrelevant thoughts. Inhibitory control, in turn, aids WM by keeping mental workspace clear and reducing interference. Both are essential for cognitive, social, and psychological development. Cognitive flexibility involves adapting to new situations, changing perspectives, and thinking creatively. It builds on inhibition and WM and is crucial for problem-solving and innovation. Tasks like design fluency and task-switching tests assess cognitive flexibility. Developmentally, inhibitory control matures during childhood and adolescence, with early challenges in young children. WM also develops early but becomes more complex with age. Both EFs decline with aging, influenced by factors like stress and lack of sleep. Training and practice can improve EFs, highlighting their malleability. EFs are trainable and can be enhanced through various methods. They are vital for mental and physical health, academic success, and social development. Understanding EFs helps in addressing cognitive, emotional, and physical health issues, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and support.Executive functions (EFs) are essential cognitive abilities that enable mentally manipulating ideas, delaying action, adapting to new challenges, resisting temptation, and maintaining focus. Core EFs include inhibition (response inhibition and interference control), working memory (WM), and cognitive flexibility. Inhibition involves controlling attention, behavior, and emotions to override impulses or distractions. WM allows holding and manipulating information mentally, while cognitive flexibility involves adapting to changing circumstances and thinking creatively. Inhibitory control is crucial for self-regulation, attention, and effortful control. It enables selective attention, suppressing prepotent responses, and resisting distractions. Self-control involves resisting temptations and delaying gratification, which is vital for long-term goals. Inhibitory control tasks, such as the Stroop task, Simon task, and go/no-go tasks, assess these abilities. These tasks often require inhibitory control, though some argue they may not always do so. Working memory and inhibitory control are closely linked. WM supports inhibitory control by maintaining relevant information and suppressing irrelevant thoughts. Inhibitory control, in turn, aids WM by keeping mental workspace clear and reducing interference. Both are essential for cognitive, social, and psychological development. Cognitive flexibility involves adapting to new situations, changing perspectives, and thinking creatively. It builds on inhibition and WM and is crucial for problem-solving and innovation. Tasks like design fluency and task-switching tests assess cognitive flexibility. Developmentally, inhibitory control matures during childhood and adolescence, with early challenges in young children. WM also develops early but becomes more complex with age. Both EFs decline with aging, influenced by factors like stress and lack of sleep. Training and practice can improve EFs, highlighting their malleability. EFs are trainable and can be enhanced through various methods. They are vital for mental and physical health, academic success, and social development. Understanding EFs helps in addressing cognitive, emotional, and physical health issues, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and support.