Abstract #2052

Cavin I, Glover P, Bowtell R, Gowland P

An experiment is described which attempts to quantify the threshold of perception for metallic taste caused by movements in a large static magnetic field. Subjects were positioned in a field strength of 0.5 T and a gradient of 1 T/m and required to rotate their head horizontally or vertically at frequencies up to 1 Hz. Their experiences were recorded together with a measurement of actual rate-of-change of magnetic field. Fifty percent of subjects reported a metallic taste for horizontal plane movements at a dB/dt of 2.3&[plusmn]0.3 T/s at 0.66 Hz.