Cognitive Flexibility In Humans And Other Laboratory Animals

Cognitive flexibility refers to the mental processes that allow us to adapt our behaviour as environmental circumstances change. In this paper, we describe various procedures that are commonly used to measure cognitive flexibility in humans. We then provide evidence of a relationship between cognitive inflexibility and various psychiatric disorders. In laboratory animals, behavioural flexibility is often measured using procedures that are analogous to those used in humans to measure cognitive flexibility. These procedures are described and the merits and limitations of each are presented. Finally, a brief description of how these various procedures can be used to understand the neurobiology of cognitive flexibility is provided.