BOOK REVIEWS

The New Executive Brain – Elkhonon Goldberg

Book review

General perspectives on executive functions

Subtitled “Frontal Lobes in a complex world”, this is an much improved update to the earlier “Frontal Lobes and the Civilised Mind”, to include neuro-diverse minds and ADHD. This is a very helpful reference book that explores the functions of the human brain. Goldberg’s theories of cortical organisation, frontal lobe function, and hemisphere differences are original and fascinating. Goldberg’s theories align but are not all yet proven by clinical neuroscience.

From an ADHD perspective there are deeper answers than psychiatry completely fails to provide. Goldberg explains that the frontal lobes play a role in complex and higher-aspects of personality and behaviour, as opposed to language, spatial and mathematical analysis, and abstract thought. Using neurological case studies, Goldberg shows how the frontal lobes are involved in every aspect of our lives, from normal social interaction to specific behaviours like long-term achievement motivation, prioritizing of tasks, and even anti-social and criminal behaviour.

In the last chapters he concentrates on brain health and recommends keeping your body healthy, as despite the blood-brain barrier, the brain is nourished by the body, so reduce body fat with daily exercise daily, avoid of fried foods and junk food. Take up meditation so that your brain can reprogram itself to a ‘kinder, gentler’ interior dialogue.

The personal history sections are long and distract from the science but there are fascinating insights throughout the book, a quite technical but rewarding read.

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ADHD Coach, Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis is an ADHD Coach, writer and founder of SimplyWellbeing. He has over ten thousand hours and fifteen years of experience in coaching ADHD executives, business professionals and creatives. His expertise with ADHD is personal, with decades of his own experience, bringing up an ADHD child, running a large support group and in coaching clients often for years He has published his writing via this website and has ADHD online courses in development. His business expertise comes from a twenty years career in software, from programming, through marketing, sales and running a few start-ups.

Further reading

ADHD at work
As you can expect from Barkley, a scientifically precise exploration of ADHD yet somehow detached from the reality of ADHD?
ADHD at work
Sympathetic and helpful advice for adults with ADHD, from manager of ADHD clinic, with ADHD himself
ADHD at work
A guide to helping ADHD kids, though a little too focussed on "bad" behaviour
ADHD at work
An exploration on the adult experience of ADHD and using Sari's three step approach to self-help
ADHD at work
Some helpful, direct strategies to manage your ADHD
ADHD at work
Great alternative to the 12-step programme for ADDicts
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