Pilot Mindfulness Intervention for Chronic Pain and Early Cognitive Decline in Older Black Adults
Official title: Pilot RCT of MBCT vs Health Enhancement Program for the Chronic Pain-Early Cognitive Decline Co-Morbidity Among Older Black Adults
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11440208 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small study tests a mindfulness-based program tailored for older Black adults with chronic pain and early cognitive decline to see if it’s feasible and possibly helpful.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $247,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AG104008-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11440208 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 60 years and older who are Black, live with chronic pain, and show early cognitive decline.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without chronic pain or without early cognitive decline may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
This project adapts mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for a co-morbidity of chronic pain and early cognitive decline in adults over 60 who are Black. Participants will be randomly assigned to the adapted MBCT program or a time-matched Health Enhancement Program as an active comparison, delivered by peer instructors in the community. The study will measure feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity, along with indicators of physical function, pain, mood, and cognitive function to gather preliminary signals of benefit. Researchers will also explore how mindfulness and coping strategies relate to outcomes. If promising, this pilot could lay the groundwork for larger trials to improve quality of life and slowing progression in ADRD risk groups.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could offer a feasible, community-based option to ease pain and support cognitive functioning in at-risk older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous MBCT approaches show promise for mood and function; this study tests a tailored version in a specific at-risk population.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pham, Tony V — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Pham, Tony V
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Active Brains: a mind-body activity program for older adults with chronic pain and early memory problems
This project offers a virtual group mind-body activity program for older adults with chronic pain and early memory problems to reduce pain, boost activity, and support thinking skills.
-
Exploring the link between chronic pain and early cognitive decline in older adults
This study is looking at how chronic pain and memory problems can affect each other in older adults, and it offers a fun program with group activities and digital tools to help manage pain and boost brain health, all while seeing how well it works for participants.
-
Motor cortex tricks to ease chronic pain
A study in rodents and people tests whether non-invasive brain stimulation of the motor cortex can reduce chronic pain and how best to target it.
-
How COVID-19 infection and genes may influence memory and dementia risk
This study looks at how getting COVID-19 and a person’s genes together affect the chance of developing memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
-
Human pain center study to map normal and migraine-trigeminal neurons
A large NIH-funded project will map and study the human trigeminal neurons involved in migraines to understand what changes in these cells during headache conditions.
-
Understanding human pain neurons to improve migraine care
Researchers are studying human pain-sensing neurons to uncover what makes migraine start and persist, with the goal of better treatments for people who experience migraines.
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.