['5 digit test': a multilinguistic non-reading alternative to the Stroop test]

The use of digits in groups that may or may not correspond to their arithmetic values (for instance: five twos, that can be easily read as 'two', but must be counted as a 'five') allows us to measure at the same time the 'processing speed' of the subjects and their ability to 'direct' and 'switch' their attentional control.

The use of this new 'five digit test' (5DT) as a multilingual non-reading alternative to the Stroop test presents a series of advantages: it minimizes the effects of education and social class, allows the testing of much younger students, and allows the testing of some severe clinical cases, who may not be able to read words or name colors.

Using groups of 20 adults at different age levels (55-64, 65-74, 75+) and groups of 20 and 20 subjects with cerebral-vascular episodes (anterior and posterior) we can estimate the usefulness of this instrument in concrete nosological populations.

We find a slowing of production and reorientation times with aging; and a dramatic influence of neurological dysfunctions.

The tests allows a valid exploration of the Stroop effect in prereading and non-reading subjects, even in other languages.