Method of Altering Perception of Time

Abstract

Methods and compositions for modifying an individual's perception of an interval of time are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of modifying a person's defective or impaired time processing, comprising administering to the person by inhalation an effective amount of a composition comprising a coffee odorant such that the person's estimate of the length of a time interval is shorter than the person's estimate of the same time interval made without inhalation of the composition. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition consists essentially of the coffee odorant in a carrier, and optional additives. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a mixture of the coffee odorant with at least one of a peppermint odorant or a vanilla odorant as a secondary odorant that complements and does not mask the coffee odorant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the composition comprises a suprathreshold and non-irritant concentration of the coffee odorant and a less than suprathreshold concentration of the secondary odorant. 
     
     
         5 . A method of modifying a person's defective or impaired time processing, comprising administering to the person by inhalation an effective amount of a composition comprising a baby powder odorant such that the person's estimate of the length of a time interval is longer than the person's estimate of the same time interval made without inhalation of the composition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the composition consists essentially of the baby powder odorant in a carrier, and optional additives. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a mixture of the baby powder odorant with a vanilla odorant as a secondary odorant that complements and does not mask the baby powder odorant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the composition comprises a suprathreshold and non-irritant concentration of the baby powder odorant and a less than suprathreshold concentration of the vanilla odorant. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a person having defective or impaired time processing, comprising administering to the person by inhalation, an effective amount of a coffee odorant such that the person perceives a time interval to be shorter than the actual time interval. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising administering a mixture of the coffee odorant with at least one of a peppermint odorant or a vanilla odorant as a secondary odorant that complements and does not mask the coffee odorant. 
     
     
         11 . A method of treating a person having defective or impaired time processing, comprising administering to the person by inhalation, an effective amount of a baby powder odorant such that the person perceives a time interval to be longer than the actual time interval. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising administering a mixture of the baby powder odorant with a vanilla odorant as a secondary odorant that complements and does not mask the baby powder odorant. 
     
     
         13 . An article of manufacture, comprising, packaged together:
 a container of a composition comprising a coffee odorant or a baby powder odorant in a therapeutically effective amount; and   instructions for administration of the composition to an individual by inhalation for modifying a person's defective or impaired time processing;   
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises one of:
 a mixture of the coffee odorant with at least one of a peppermint odorant or a vanilla odorant as a secondary odorant that complements and does not mask the coffee odorant; or   a mixture of the baby powder odorant with a vanilla odorant as a secondary odorant that complements and does not mask the baby powder odorant.   
     
     
         15 . A method of screening an odorant composition consisting essentially of one or more test odorants, for effectively modifying a person's defective or impaired time processing, comprising:
 a) having the person estimate a time interval without inhalation of the odorant composition and tallying the estimation of the time interval as a “control score”;   b) having the person estimate the time interval from step a) after or while inhaling the odorant composition, and tallying the estimation to provide a “test score”;   c) comparing the control score to the test score to determine the statistical significance between the two scores; and   d) eliminating the odorant composition as being ineffective to modify the person's defective or impaired time processing if not statistically significant.