How mindfulness meditation can help reduce pain and stress
Official title: Brain Mechanisms Supporting Mindfulness Meditation-Induced Pain and Stress Relief
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-10888176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how mindfulness meditation can help reduce pain and stress by checking how it affects the brain, and it's for anyone interested in finding new ways to feel better without medication.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $76,756 |
| NIH project number | 5F32AT012587-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10888176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing chronic pain or stress-related disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience chronic pain or stress may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effects of mindfulness meditation on pain and stress relief by examining brain mechanisms involved in these processes. Participants will engage in mindfulness meditation sessions while their brain activity is monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The study aims to understand how mindfulness can alter brain activity in areas associated with pain and emotional processing, potentially leading to new non-drug treatments for chronic pain and stress-related disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide patients with effective non-opioid strategies for managing pain and stress.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promising results in using mindfulness meditation for pain and stress relief, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dean, Jon Gregory — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Dean, Jon Gregory
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Mindfulness and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults
This grant tests non-drug ways like mindfulness and self-hypnosis to help people over 60 manage chronic pain.
-
Mindfulness-based Support for Pain and Sleep in Young People with Sickle Cell Disease
A digital mindfulness program is being tailored for adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease to help with pain and sleep and is being tested for practicality and early effectiveness.
-
Mindfulness training to lower cardiovascular risk for moms and babies during pregnancy
A mindfulness program is being tested during pregnancy to help prevent high blood pressure and heart problems for mothers and their babies.
-
Mindfulness-enhanced brain stimulation for depression
This project tests whether combining a breath-focused attention training with targeted brain stimulation helps people with treatment-resistant depression think more clearly and feel better.
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Optimizing Opioid Tapering with Mindfulness for Chronic Pain
A patient-friendly program tests a mindfulness-based approach to help adults with chronic pain reduce long-term opioid use safely.
-
Prenatal mindfulness and inflammatory pathways to support mom and baby health
A study from Oregon Health & Science University will explore how mindfulness during pregnancy might influence inflammatory signals and improve emotional well-being for mothers and healthy development for their children.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.