The Five Digits Test (FDT) is a Stroop paradigm test that aims to evaluate executive functions. It is composed of four parts, two of which are related to automatic and two of which are related to controlled processes. It is known that pupillary diameter increases as the task’s cognitive demand increases. In the present study, we evaluated whether the pupillary diameter could distinguish cognitive effort between automated and controlled cognitive processing during the FDT as the task progressed. As a control task, we used a simple reading paradigm with a similar visual aspect as the FDT. We then divided each of the four parts into two blocks in order to evaluate the differences between the first and second half of the task. Results indicated that, compared to a control task, the FDT required higher cognitive effort for each consecutive part. Moreover, the first half of every part of the FDT induced dilation more than the second. The differences in pupil dilation during the first half of the four FDT parts were statistically significant between the parts 2 and 4 (p=0.023), and between the parts 3 and 4 (p=0.006). These results provide further evidence that cognitive effort and pupil diameter can distinguish controlled from automatic processes.

Introduction In the assessment of older adults with very low formal education, typical tests of selective attention and inhibitory control are biased by reading abilities. In this sense, we aim to assess the psychometric characteristics of the Five Digits Test (FDT), a numerical Stroop paradigm, in older adults without cognitive disorders, with mild cognitive impairment, and with dementia. Methods We assessed 211 Brazilian older adults with low formal education using the FDT and other cognitive measures. Construct validity and reliability were assessed by correlations and internal consistency. Results The FDT test had weak correlations with crystalized intelligence tests and moderate-high correlations with fluid intelligence measures and tests of global cognitive status and executive functions. The split-half coefficient of reliability showed high internal consistency (>0.900). Conclusion Together, the results suggest that the FDT is a valid and reliable measure for the assessment of processing speed and executive functions in older adults with low formal education.

No abstract

No abstract

Funções executivas permitem ao indivíduo resolver problemas complexos e lidar com novos contextos. Dentre elas, o planejamento é considerado uma função de alta ordem que está fortemente relacionada aos circuitos frontoestriatais, cujos déficits podem ser encontrados em diversos transtornos, como autismo, transtorno do déficit de atenção com hiperatividade (TDAH) e depressão. Um dos principais instrumentos para avaliar planejamento é a Torre de Londres (ToL), que, apesar de boas qualidades, tem apresentado problemas como efeito teto e baixa capacidade discriminativa em indivíduos normais. O presente estudo visa avaliar as propriedades psicométricas de uma versão computadorizada, brasileira, da Torre de Londres (ToL-BR). Foram testadas todas as possibilidades de itens possíveis no instrumento (35); após as exclusões dos itens com baixo poder discriminativo (rpb ≤ 0,30), ficaram na ToL-BR um total de 19 itens. Os resultados preliminares, somados a estudos anteriores, sugerem que esse instrumento se mostra mais adequado para avaliar pessoas nos níveis inferior a médio das habilidades de planejamento.