A pioneering researcher unveils the neuroscience of executive function: How it works and what we can (and can’t) do to improve it.

From the muddle of brain fog that leaves you searching for keys already in your hand to the challenges posed by conditions like ADHD, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, deficits in executive function are everywhere. Everyone agrees that executive function is essential for solving problems, planning for the future, and leading effective, meaningful lives—yet few can agree on what it actually is, or how to improve it. In Think Before You Think, internationally renowned neuroscientist Adrian Owen draws on cutting-edge research and a vast original dataset to finally demystify what executive function is, how it shapes our behavior, and what truly does—and doesn’t—help sharpen it. As practical as it is profound, Think Before You Think reveals our cognitive strengths, our limitations, and the extraordinary potential we all possess.

About the Author: Adrian Owen is a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at the University of Western Ontario. Author of Into the Gray Zone, he has been featured in the New Yorker, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Nature, and Science, among other publications.