Disentangling self from pain: mindfulness meditation–induced pain relief is driven by thalamic–default mode network decoupling
Pain July 7, 2022 Gabriel Riegner, Grace Posey, Valeria Oliva et al. 41 citations
Mindfulness meditation reduces pain by weakening the connection between brain regions that process self-referential thoughts and those that process nociceptive signals. In a clinical trial, 40 participants were randomized to either a 4-session mindfulness meditation or a book-listening regimen. Functional MRI and noxious heat (49°C) applied to the right calf showed that mindfulness meditation significantly reduced both behavioral and neural pain responses compared to controls. The analgesia was linked to greater decoupling between the thalamus and precuneus, and deactivation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, suggesting a self-referential nociceptive gating mechanism.