Meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus
Hiroki Nakata, Kiwako Sakamoto, Ryusuke Kakigi
Frontiers in Psychology December 16, 2014 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01489 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Insula Somatosensory system Magnetoencephalography Anterior cingulate cortex Thalamus Posterior cingulate Neuroimaging Perception Electroencephalography Cognition Central nervous system |
| Citations | 72 |
| Key findings | Meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the ACC, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus, with modulation depending on meditation type and years of experience. |
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that meditation inhibits or relieves pain perception. To clarify the underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon, neuroimaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, and neurophysiological methods, such as magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography, have been used. However, it has been difficult to interpret the results, because there is some paradoxical evidence. For example, some studies reported increased neural responses to pain stimulation during meditation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula, whereas others showed a decrease in these regions. There have been inconsistent findings to date. Moreover, in general, since the activities of the ACC and insula are correlated with pain perception, the increase in neural activities during meditation would be related to the enhancement of pain perception rather than its reduction. These contradictions might directly contribute to the 'mystery of meditation.' In this review, we presented previous findings for brain regions during meditation and the anatomical changes that occurred in the brain with long-term meditation training. We then discussed the findings of previous studies that examined pain-related neural activity during meditation. We also described the brain mechanisms responsible for pain relief during meditation, and possible reasons for paradoxical evidence among previous studies. By thoroughly overviewing previous findings, we hypothesized that meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the ACC, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus. We suggest that the characteristics of the modulation of this activity may depend on the kind of meditation and/or number of years of experience of meditation, which were associated with paradoxical findings among previous studies that investigated pain-related neural activities during meditation.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 19
- Reflections on Inner and Outer Silence and Consciousness Without Contents According to the Sphere Model of Consciousness Frontiers in Psychology August 12, 2020
- Larger whole brain grey matter associated with long-term Sahaja Yoga Meditation: A detailed area by area comparison PLoS One December 28, 2020
- Enhanced amygdala–anterior cingulate white matter structural connectivity in Sahaja Yoga Meditators PLoS One March 28, 2024
- Editorial: Neuroimaging and Neuropsychology of Meditation States Frontiers in Psychology November 19, 2015
- Does practice make perfect? Functional connectivity of the salience network and somatosensory network predicts response to mind-body treatments for fibromyalgia. Frontiers in Pain Research 2024
and 14 more in the library
Cites 55
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Patterns of Brain Activity Supporting Autobiographical Memory, Prospection, and Theory of Mind, and Their Relationship to the Default Mode Network Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience July 6, 2009
- Investigation of mindfulness meditation practitioners with voxel-based morphometry Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience December 3, 2007
and 50 more in the library