Subjective time estimation by humans is increased by counterclockwise but not clockwise circumcerebral rotations of phase-shifting magnetic pulses inthe horizontal plane

Volunteers were required to estimate 10-s intervals after 2.5 min exposures to each of six different patterns of complex magnetic fields. The approxim ately 10 mu T fields were applied sequentially through eight solenoids that were arranged circumcerebrally (every 45 deg) at the level of the temporoo rbital plane. There were three rates of change for the circumcerebral rotat ions whose durations ranged between about 200 and 2000 ms. Successive addit ions of 20 ms of the complex fields during the counterclockwise circumcereb ral rotation at each solenoid distended subjective time most effectively. S ubjective time of the group who received these counterclockwise rotations w as about 3 s longer than the group who received the clockwise rotations (ex plaining approximately 50% of the variance). The results are consistent wit h the model that the temporal binding for experience, most likely a feature of the rostrocaudal waves recreated every approximately 20 ms over the cer ebral cortices, can be modified by weak magnetic fields whose spatial direc tion and temporal complexity are designed to interact with this process. (C ) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.