Modulating Consciousness through Awareness Training Program and Its Impacts on Psychological Stress and Age-Related Gamma Waves.
Kin Cheung George Lee, Junling Gao, Hang Kin Leung, Bonnie Wai Yan Wu, Adam Roberts, Thuan Quoc Thach, Hin Hung Sik
Brain Sciences January 17, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010091 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 85 |
| Population | Middle-aged adults with mild stress |
| Intervention | Awareness Training Program (ATP) |
| Duration | 7-week intervention |
| Measures | EEG (beta wave, 12-25 Hz; gamma wave, 25-40 Hz), Chinese version of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Aging Compensation Electroencephalogram Gamma wave Awareness training program |
| Key findings | Fast-wave EEG activity (beta and gamma) correlated positively with age, but after 7 weeks of the Awareness Training Program this correlation became insignificant in the ATP group. The ATP group also showed a significant reduction in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) scores. The authors suggest ATP may modulate age-related gamma wave changes and improve stress resilience. |
Abstract
Aging often leads to awareness decline and psychological stress. Meditation, a method of modulating consciousness, may help individuals improve overall awareness and increase emotional resilience toward stress. This study explored the potential influence of the Awareness Training Program (ATP), a form of consciousness modulation, on age-related brain wave changes and psychological stress in middle-aged adults. Eighty-five participants with mild stress were recruited and randomly assigned to ATP (45.00 ± 8.00 yr) or control (46.67 ± 7.80 yr) groups, matched by age and gender. Ten-minute resting-state EEG data, obtained while the participants' eyes were closed, were collected using a 128-channel EEG system (EGI). A strong positive Pearson correlation was found between fast-wave (beta wave, 12-25 Hz; gamma wave, 25-40 Hz) EEG and age. However, after the 7-week ATP intervention, this correlation became insignificant in the ATP group. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in stress levels, as measured by the Chinese version of the 10 item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), in the ATP group. These results suggest that ATP may help modulate age-related effects on fast brain waves, as evidenced by the reduced correlation magnitude between age and gamma waves, and lower psychological stress. This suggests that ATP, as a form of consciousness modulation, may improve stress resilience and modulate age-related gamma wave changes.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- How Practice Differences Shape Participant Experience in Second-Generation Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Qualitative Study of Non-Buddhist University Students Mindfulness October 9, 2026
- Electroencephalography-Based Measures to Understand Meditation and Mindfulness: Bibliometric Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2026
- Sleep-Based Brain Age Is Reduced in Advanced Inner Engineering Meditators. Mindfulness 2025
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