Mindfulness and self-hypnosis to ease chronic pain in older adults
Mechanisms of Mindfulness Meditation and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults with Chronic Pain
This project tests whether mindfulness meditation and self-hypnosis can reduce chronic pain and change brain activity in people aged 60 and older.
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 ID | NIH-11378908 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would practice mindfulness meditation or self-hypnosis while researchers measure your pain and brain responses. The team will enroll Americans aged 60 and older with chronic pain and use controlled lab pain tasks (thermal for nerve-like pain and mechanical for musculoskeletal pain) to mimic real-world pain. They will record brain activity with fMRI and EEG to see how these practices affect prefrontal and pain-control circuits. The study will also examine which patient characteristics predict who benefits most from each approach.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 60 or older with ongoing chronic pain who can attend visits at the University of Washington and complete MRI/EEG and experimental pain testing.
Not a fit: People under 60, those without chronic pain, or individuals who cannot undergo MRI/EEG or tolerate brief experimental pain testing are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these non-drug approaches could offer safer pain relief for older adults and help match people to the therapy most likely to help them.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows mindfulness and hypnosis can alter brain activity and reduce pain in adults, but applying both methods with fMRI and EEG specifically in older adults is less well tested.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jensen, Mark P — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Jensen, Mark P
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 below.