Mindfulness and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults
Official title: Mechanisms of Mindfulness Meditation and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults with Chronic Pain
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11395520 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A non-drug program using mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis is being studied to help Americans aged 60 and up manage chronic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $591,688 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG079832-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395520 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 60 and older with chronic pain who can participate in mindfulness or self-hypnosis training.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with conditions that prevent participation in meditation-based therapies or who do not experience pain-related symptoms may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant tests two proven, non-drug approaches—mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis—to reduce chronic pain in older adults. The study uses controlled pain tasks to model real-life pain and to see how brain activity changes with these techniques. The goal is to understand how these practices may strengthen the brain’s pain-control pathways, especially in areas of the prefrontal cortex affected by aging. Researchers also plan to identify which patient characteristics influence how well people respond to each technique.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have effective, non-drug options to lessen chronic pain and improve daily functioning.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies suggest mindfulness and self-hypnosis can alter pain processing, but results in older adults require confirmation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jensen, Mark P — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Jensen, Mark P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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 and psilocybin for chronic back pain
A clinical study will explore how mindfulness training combined with a guided psilocybin experience may reduce pain for adults with chronic low back pain.
-
Mobile mindfulness app to help spinal cord injury patients manage chronic pain
A widely available mindfulness app is being tested to help people with spinal cord injury reduce chronic pain and improve mood and daily functioning.
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Mindfulness and self-hypnosis to ease chronic pain in older adults
This project tests whether mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis can reduce chronic pain and change brain activity in people aged 60 and older.
-
Mindfulness combined with open-label placebo for chronic pain
This project tests whether adding an open-label placebo to a mindfulness program helps adults with chronic pain reduce pain and improve daily functioning.
-
Virtual Reality Mindfulness Training for Veterans with SCI and Chronic Pain
A mindfulness program delivered through virtual reality is being explored to help veterans with spinal cord injury live with less pain and better daily functioning.
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.