Figure 6
Brain activations and deactivations associated with the main effect of mindfulness meditation and sham mindfulness meditation. Sham mindfulness meditation produced significant activation in the globus pallidus, putamen and right SI of the nose and significant deactivation of the subgenual ACC, PCC, cerebellum and mPFC compared with pre-manipulation. Compared with sham mindfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation produced greater activation in the right putamen/globus pallidus and the PCC. Compared with mindfulness meditation, sham mindfulness meditation was associated with greater activation in the DLPFC, thalamus, PAG, and cerebellum. Conjunction analyses revealed significant overlapping activation in the bilateral putamen and SI corresponding to the nose and deactivation in the mPFC, PCC/precuneous, and cerebellum. Slice locations correspond to standard stereotaxic space.
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Mindfulness meditation reduces pain in experimental and clinical settings. However, it remains unknown whether mindfulness meditation engages pain-relieving mechanisms other than those associated with the placebo effect (e.g., conditioning, psychosocial context, beliefs). To determine whether the analgesic mechanisms of mindfulness med...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... cognitive state of mindfulness meditation significantly deac- tivated brain regions that facilitate low-level sensory and nocice- ptive processing including the thalamus and periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) compared with rest and the main effects of placebo and sham mindfulness meditation (Figs. 5, 6; see Table 3 for corresponding brain ...
Context 2
... main effect of sham mindfulness meditation closely resem- bled that of the main effect of mindfulness meditation (Fig. 6). Conjunction analyses confirmed that sham mindfulness medita- tion produced significant overlapping activation with mindful- ness meditation, including the bilateral anterior insula cortices, putamen, globus pallidus, ACC, SI representation of the nose ( Gastl et al., 2014), and deactivation of brain regions associated with the default ...
Context 3
... produced significant overlapping activation with mindful- ness meditation, including the bilateral anterior insula cortices, putamen, globus pallidus, ACC, SI representation of the nose ( Gastl et al., 2014), and deactivation of brain regions associated with the default mode network of the brain ( Raichle et al., 2001), including the PCC and mPFC (Fig. 6). Despite these overlapping patterns of activity, greater activation in the thalamus, PAG, bi- lateral DLPFC, and cerebellum was detected during sham mind- fulness meditation compared with mindfulness meditation. In contrast, greater activation in the PCC and right globus pallidus was detected during mindfulness meditation when ...
Context 4
... of the differences between mindfulness and sham mindful- ness meditation were associated with greater deactivation in one condition compared with the other (Fig. 6). Across all individuals, sham mindfulness meditation produced greater activation in the thalamus, left putamen, SMA, PCC, and SI compared with pre-manipulation in the presence of noxious heat stimulation. There was also greater deactivation of the ACC, mPFC, and middle frontal gyrus (Fig. 7C). Importantly, regression analyses detected ...
Context 5
... were no significant changes in heart rate Seven participant's heart rate data are not reported due to equipment malfunction. There were no significant between group differences in heart rate (F (1,66) 0.93, p 0.434; Table 1). There was also no significant main effect from pre- Figure 7. ...
Citations
... Additionally, previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of various physical and occupational therapy interventions for managing chronic low back pain, including core stabilization exercises, aquatic therapy, manual therapy, and psychosocial approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and yoga. These interventions have shown significant benefits in reducing pain, improving function, and enhancing mental wellbeing [13][14][15][16][17]. Nonetheless, clinical trials on interventions for chronic NSLBP remain insufficient [18]. ...
Background and Objectives: Chronic low back pain is a widespread condition, particularly in older populations, contributing to physical, mental, and social burdens. Traditional treatments, such as medications and surgery, carry long-term risks, including dependency, side-effects, and complications from invasive procedures. Additionally, healthcare accessibility is limited due to high costs, long waiting times, and geographic disparities in healthcare services, particularly in rural areas. For these reasons, non-pharmacological approaches that address both physical and psychological aspects are increasingly recognized as effective. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a marine resource-based healing program in Taean, South Korea, in improving pain, physical function, and mental health in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved 46 participants with non-specific chronic low back pain (mean age, 68.7 ± 5.1 years), randomly allocated to either an experimental group (marine healing program) or a control group (core exercises). The experimental group participated in a 4-night, 5-day intervention comprising heated peat pack therapy, mindfulness meditation, core exercises, and local tourism. The control group performed core exercises without additional interventions. Key outcomes included pain, muscle properties, functional disability, lower extremity function, balance, gait, and depression. Results: The experimental group demonstrated significant reductions in resting pain (p < 0.001), improved pressure pain threshold at L3 (p < 0.001), decreased L3 muscle tone (p = 0.015), and improved functional disability scores (p < 0.001). Functional gains were observed in lower extremity function scores (p < 0.001), balance (sway area: p = 0.046), gait velocity (p < 0.001), and depression levels (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The marine healing program significantly improved pain, functional abilities, and mental well-being in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain, highlighting its potential as an integrative approach to chronic low back pain management. Further studies are recommended to explore long-term and generalized effects.
... 16 Reminding participants of their predictions and their friends' responses may have felt threatening 64,65 whereby participants knew their friend could have reported something worse than they expected. In turn, this may have amplified the happiness they reported when expectations were met, perhaps indicating they were relieved 65,66 and were pleased to experience reciprocity 67 or something better than expected from a friend. 47,48 It is also plausible that because the adolescents in our sample tended to be friends for a little under two years, they felt more connected when their expectations were met, suggesting increased positive emotions and trust were evoked upon receiving validation from their friend. ...
Adolescence marks a period of development characterized by increased time spent with friends and learning how to navigate social relationships from feedback received from peers. Research suggests that frontolimbic circuitry, which undergoes significant development during adolescence, helps adolescents learn by encoding feedback. To test this theory, previous studies have given adolescents feedback via someone unknown to them. Understanding how adolescents respond when receiving social feedback from a friend is critical as they engage with friends to help form opinions of themselves. For this reason, we created an ecologically valid task asking adolescents questions about their friendships and showing them responses purportedly provided by their friend. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a novel Friendship Feedback Task programmed using E-Prime 2.0 to leverage real-life social expectations between 26 adolescent participants (53.8% girls, ages 14-17, M= 15.81, SD= 1.02) from the USA. Participants were presented with positive or negative statements about their friendships with another adolescent while undergoing an fMRI scan. Following the scan, participants were asked how happy they felt when they received social feedback about their friendship. Results: Adolescents reported feeling happier when social expectations were met compared to when they received positive and negative social feedback. Regions of Interest (ROI) analyses revealed increased ventral striatum activation as expectations were met, greater ventral striatum activation during positive versus negative social feedback; and greater insula and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex activation during negative versus positive social feedback. These results suggest positive and expected social information engages frontolimbic circuitry previously implicated in reward, while unexpected social information elicits neural circuitry previously implicated in non-social learning in adolescents. This study demonstrates that during adolescence, friends provide important social information, and when the information received is unexpected, it may disrupt the cognitive harmony a teenager has regarding their friendship.
... In addition to this, some studies have also found a relationship between cognitive flexibility and self-compassion (Martin, Staggers, and Anderson 2011;Okan Er and DeniŻ 2022;Zeidan et al. 2015). Neff and McGehee (2010) had a research on college students, and it has found that family and cognitive factors were identified as predictors of individual differences in self-compassion. ...
To examine the effects of mindfulness on shame and the mechanisms mediated by cognitive flexibility and self‐compassion in a Chinese adult population in daily life, we conducted two studies. Study 1 was a cross‐sectional study using the Five‐Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, the Self‐Compassion Scale, and the Self‐Conscious Affect‐3, which were administered to 481 adults in Beijing and Chengdu. For Study 2, an 8‐month follow‐up study was conducted on 128 of the adults. The results of Study 1 showed that (1) the awareness of action and nonjudgment dimensions, and the total score of mindfulness were significantly correlated with shame; (2) cognitive flexibility and self‐compassion could fully mediate the prediction of mindfulness on shame. The Study 2 showed that (1) mindfulness and shame were significantly negatively correlated in both phases of measurement; (2) controlling for T1 shame, T1 mindfulness was able to negatively predict T2 shame; controlling for T1 mindfulness, T1 shame was not able to predict T2 mindfulness. There is a longitudinal association between mindfulness and shame, and only mindfulness scores are predictive of the shame and not vice‐versa; both cognitive flexibility and self‐compassion can provide explanations for the prediction of shame by mindfulness. Enhancing levels of mindfulness can help alleviate individuals' shame levels.
... Research indicates that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) leads to increased activity in the PFC, especially in the dorsolateral and dorsomedial regions, and enhances functional connectivity with the salience network and other brain areas (Farb et al., 2007;Menon, 2015). In the insula, while some studies report variable activity levels, a majority show increased activation associated with mindfulness practices, particularly in the left insula and right anterior volume (Creswell et al., 2007;Zeidan et al., 2015). The ACC also exhibits mixed results, with some studies showing increased activation and connectivity with the PFC and other regions during mindfulness tasks (Kilpatrick et al., 2011;Allen et al., 2012). ...
Adolescent aggression is a significant public health concern, impacting interpersonal relationships, mental health, and academic performance. This study investigated the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and aggression in adolescents, exploring the mediating roles of impulsivity and inhibition dysfunction, guided by the I3 model of aggression and the General Aggression Model. A cross-sectional design was employed with 627 high school students (39.2% male) aged 14-19 (M=16.49, SD=1.05) in Sichuan province, China. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire, the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, the Teenage Executive Functioning Inventory, and the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping procedures were used to test the hypothesized mediation models. Mindfulness negatively predicted both impulsivity and inhibition dysfunction. Impulsivity and inhibition dysfunction, in turn, positively predicted both reactive and proactive aggression. Mediation analyses confirmed that impulsivity and inhibition dysfunction mediated the relationship between mindfulness and both forms of aggression. Furthermore, a chain-mediation effect was observed, where mindfulness influenced reactive and proactive aggression through impulsivity, which subsequently impacted inhibition dysfunction. Sex moderated the relationship between inhibition dysfunction and both types of aggression, with a stronger effect for males. The findings support the I3 model and the General Aggression Model, suggesting that interventions targeting mindfulness could be beneficial in reducing aggression among adolescents by reducing impulsivity and improving inhibition function, particularly for males.
... A more direct comparison of the pain-reducing mechanisms of mindfulness and placebo conditions was conducted by Zeidan et al. (2015), who scanned their participants' cortical activity during painful thermal stimulation after they had completed 4 days of either mindfulness training or practice using a placebo cream at the stimulation site. Meditation produced a significantly greater reduction in pain intensity and, especially, unpleasantness than the placebo. ...
In this article, I propose a novel theory to explain the possible physiological origins of the relatively mild mental pain that is often labeled as boredom and possibly loneliness or a negative mood, depending on one’s situation. My admittedly speculative hypothesis is that most people in modern societies are beset by a chronic level of diffuse nociception (DN), due to the lingering effects of past stressors. For most people, most of the time, their DN is mild enough to be kept out of conscious awareness by various distractions. However, when people are deprived of all their usual distractions, DN may enter awareness and provoke a feeling of pain without being associated with any noticeable bodily sensation to which the pain can be localized. Thus, the discomfort is experienced as mental pain. It follows that whatever can reduce DN and/or keep it out of awareness will be positively reinforced, leading to an addiction to various distractions, including mind wandering. In support of my theory, I discuss research on how the activity of well-known neural networks serves to regulate the intensity of physical, as well as mental, pain. I also discuss individual differences in DN and their relationship to boredom proneness and neuroticism. Finally, I describe how stress reactions can create DN, how psychological factors can mitigate mental pain, and how chronic stress reactions may begin early in human development.
... The studies discussed in this review analyzed the neurobiological changes associated with mindfulness and meditation practices. Nine articles explored the diverse impacts of mindfulness practices on brain activity [69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77]. ...
... In contrast, the neural mechanisms of placebo analgesia were found in sensory processing regions and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This is the first evidence to date that mindfulness meditation engages a distinctive mechanism of pain reduction, independent of placebo treatment [70]. The MBSR participants experienced a notable rise in cortical thickness in the right insula and somatosensory cortex. ...
... Zeidan et al., 2015 [70] To determine whether the analgesic mechanisms of mindfulness meditation are distinct from those of the placebo effect. fMRI. ...
Background and Objectives: Meditation and mindfulness, rooted in ancient traditions, enhance mental well-being by cultivating awareness and emotional control. It has been shown to induce neuroplasticity, increase cortical thickness, reduce amygdala reactivity, and improve brain connectivity and neurotransmitter levels, leading to improved emotional regulation, cognitive function, and stress resilience. This systematic review will synthesize research on neurobiological changes associated with mindfulness and meditation practices. Materials and Methods: Studies were identified from an online search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases without any search time range. This review has been registered on Open OSF (n) GV2JY. Results: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) enhances brain regions related to emotional processing and sensory perception, improves psychological outcomes like anxiety and depression, and exhibits unique mechanisms of pain reduction compared to placebo. Conclusions: This review highlights that mindfulness, particularly through MBSR, improves emotional regulation and brain structure, reduces anxiety, and enhances stress resilience. Future research should focus on diverse populations and naturalistic settings to better understand and optimize these benefits.
... Traditional healthcare approaches such as in Tibetan medicine that utilise a systems approach to ill health, may offer some deeper understanding in improving delivery of non-pharmacological management of paediatric chronic pain. This is because the subjective experience of pain is constructed and modulated by complex multi-dimensional interactions of sensory, affective and cognitive functions [3], requiring an equally complex and dynamic treatment approach, making a systems approach more responsive and adaptive to individual needs. ...
... In this way, the concept of pain in Tibetan Medicine can be seen to align with the International Association of Study of Pain definition, this being that pain is always a personal experience that is influenced to varying degrees by different factors and domains of health, modified by life experience [20] and modulated by complex multi-dimensional interactions of sensory, affective and cognitive functions [3]. ...
The ontological understanding of disease and suffering fundamentally rooted in Tibetan medicine systems approach of nyes’pa imbalance is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things. The complexity of paediatric chronic pain and its multifactorial components of disease demands a multi-disciplinary non-pharmacological approach. This can lead to variable healthcare outcomes and health costs. Utilizing a systems approach developed from cross-cultural learnings from Tibetan medicine may offer an opportunity to improve clinical effectiveness and economic efficiencies by directing resources and interventions appropriately, based on the observations and interrelationships of individual disease presentation.
... Some studies indicate that the placebo effect plays an important role in MBIs' pain relief and that expectancy is the strongest predictor of decreases in pain unpleasantness and intensity, as well as increases in pain tolerance (Davies et al., 2021(Davies et al., , 2022. One study indicates that mindfulness meditation produces greater pain relief than a placebo intervention (Zeidan et al., 2015) while engaging different brain mechanisms. According to this study, mindfulness is associated with the activation of brain areas responsible for the cognitive modulation of pain, such as the ACC, bilateral anterior insula, and putamen nucleus, and the deactivation of nociceptive and sensory areas, including the thalamus and PAG. ...
... Interestingly, the analysis of the control groups when the interventions were MBIs frequently included interventions such as passive controls, book listening, or educational programs (Zautra et al., 2008;Esch et al., 2017;Case et al., 2021). Controls more closely related to MBIs were also designed to equate the non-specific features of the MBI (general Sham mindfulness), stress management, or slow breathing techniques (Zeidan et al., 2015;Seminowicz et al., 2020;Wells et al., 2020;Davies et al., 2021Davies et al., , 2022Davies et al., , 2023Khatib et al., 2024). A recent study included an experimental group specific to the MBI, in which all conditions matched the structural features of the MBI (e.g., attention to the intervention and instructions designed to give the meditator the sense that they were practicing a guided meditation) but lacked the instructions to provide attentional stability and meta-awareness (Davies et al., 2023). ...
... MBIs had a higher effect than the sham intervention in sensory parameters (Zautra et al., 2008;Zeidan et al., 2015;Westenberg et al., 2018;Seminowicz et al., 2020;Wells et al., 2020;Case et al., 2021;Khatib et al., 2024;pain intensity) and several cognitive/emotional aspects of pain (Zautra et al., 2008;Zeidan et al., 2015;Westenberg et al., 2018;Davies et al., 2021). In none of the analyzed studies did sham interventions have a higher effect than MBIs. ...
Is the placebo effect something to think about in the Mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain? We are still at the onset of this fascinating road but there is something to be considered, as shown by this systematic review
... 25 Interventions that focus on mindfulness and relaxation have the potential to engage multiple brain regions and neural pathways which alter the subjective pain experience, including reducing pain intensity and overall unpleasantness. [26][27][28] Neurologically, mindful meditation reduces pain-related afferent processing and activates the orbitofrontal cortex, a region associated with contextualizing sensation. 29 Reduced pain intensity increases activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, areas involved in the cognitive regulation of tissue damage information processing, otherwise known as nociception. ...
Background
Approximately one-half of all adults with HIV experience chronic pain. Needed are nonpharmacological approaches to improve pain management in this population.
Methods
For this study, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews (n = 20) with thirteen adults with HIV and 7 HIV care providers regarding their perceptions of Tai Chi for chronic pain management. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, double-coded, and analyzed using applied thematic analysis.
Results
HIV patients had limited prior exposure to Tai Chi and had not previously considered this practice for pain management. However, after viewing a brief video demonstration of Tai Chi, patients recognized potential benefits, including relaxation, stress reduction, and pain lessening. Patients were surprised by the gentle nature of Tai Chi and expressed enthusiasm to learn more about Tai Chi. HIV healthcare providers similarly had limited knowledge of Tai Chi for pain management. HIV care providers shared several helpful insights on the potential implementation of Tai Chi with this population.
Conclusions
Adults with HIV and healthcare providers were optimistic that Tai Chi would reduce stress and ease chronic pain. These data suggest that Tai Chi would be of interest to HIV patients and care providers as a novel pain management strategy.
... Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges from paying attention to things as they are, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgementally [120]. Mindfulness practice can reduce pain intensity and unpleasantness [121,122] and help with depressive symptoms in RA [123][124][125]. ...
Purpose of the Review
Managing non-inflammatory pain in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be a huge burden for the rheumatologist. Pain that persists despite optimal RA treatment is extremely challenging for patient and physician alike. Here, we outline the latest research relevant to distinguishing non-inflammatory from inflammatory RA pain and review the current understanding of its neurobiology and management.
Recent Findings
Nociplastic pain is a recently introduced term by the international pain community. Its definition encompasses the non-inflammatory pain of RA and describes pain that is not driven by inflamed joints or compromised nerves, but that is instead driven by a functional reorganisation of the central nervous system (CNS).
Summary
Insights from all areas of nociplastic pain research, including fibromyalgia, support a personalised pain management approach for non-inflammatory pain of RA, with evidence-based guidelines favouring use of non-pharmacological interventions. Future developments include novel CNS targeting pharmacotherapeutic approaches to treat nociplastic pain.