Mechanism of Action of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Pain Relief-A Systematic Review.
Journal of integrative and complementary medicine December 1, 2024 Markus Ploesser, David Martin 18 citations
A systematic review of 21 studies found that mindfulness meditation relieves pain through multiple mechanisms, including modulation of brain activity in regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, and enhancement of structural and functional connectivity. The analgesic effects persist even when opioid receptors are blocked, indicating a nonopioidergic pathway. Pain acceptance and altered pain control beliefs serve as key mediators. Long-term practice increases pain threshold and reduces unpleasantness via heightened activity in salience and attentional control regions. Most studies involved healthy subjects with experimental pain, so findings require careful interpretation for chronic pain populations.