Randomized controlled trial of neurofeedback mindfulness meditation as a practice for migraine management.
Faly Golshan, Gloria Sun, Jenna Francisco, Parham Alibolandi, Monika Nabi Zade, Amin Mousavi, Rachel Lysenko, Megan E O'Connell, Haley Block, Paul Masiowski, Marla J S Mickleborough
Journal of Clinical Neuroscience December 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2025.111685 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 101 |
| Population | Adults with migraine |
| Interventions | Neurofeedback mindfulness meditation Audiobook listening task |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Headache Interoception Migraine disorders Neurofeedback Self-efficacy |
| Key findings | Neurofeedback mindfulness meditation improved headache management self-efficacy significantly more than a controlled attention task, but between-group differences for headache disability, severity, and anxiety were inconclusive. |
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that mindfulness meditation may be beneficial for migraine symptoms; yet the potential of neurofeedback mindfulness meditation (NM) remains unexplored. This randomized controlled trial investigates the efficacy of NM compared to a controlled attention task for managing migraine. 101 adults with migraine participated in the study, wearing EEG headbands and engaging in 10-minute daily sessions of either NM (n = 49) or an audiobook listening task (n = 52) for eight weeks. While EEG raw data was collected for all participants, only the NM group had real-time access to their EEG neurofeedback. We assessed migraine characteristics (disability and severity), headache management self-efficacy, and psychiatric symptoms (anxiety and depression) before and after the intervention. Data from 61 participants who completed the full 8-week intervention were analyzed. Improvements in headache disability, severity, and anxiety were observed in both NM (n = 34) and control (n = 27) groups; however, between-group comparisons were inconclusive and minimal (DiD 95 % CIs crossing zero). Only headache management self-efficacy showed a statistically significant between-group improvement showing greater improvement in headache management self-efficacy compared to the control group (F(1,59) = 4.56, p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.07; DiD = 10.3; 95 % CI 0.65-19.87). Additionally, increased headache management self-efficacy was negatively correlated with migraine disability (r = -0.39, p < 0.05), severity (r = -0.41, p < 0.05), and anxiety (r = -0.47, p < 0.05) within the NM group. Biological sex, belief in meditation, and migraine subtypes did not significantly influence the study outcomes, suggesting that these variables did not act as confounding factors in the observed effects (p > 0.05). The findings indicate that neurofeedback mindfulness meditation enhances headache management self-efficacy, yet larger trials are required to estimate effects with adequate precision. We discuss how improved self-agency may foster greater awareness and behavioural control over internal and external adjustments, ultimately leading to effective migraine recovery and prevention.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 22
- Experiencing your brain: neurofeedback as a new bridge between neuroscience and phenomenology. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
- Mindfulness in migraine: A narrative review Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics January 14, 2020
- Co-emergence Reinforcement and Its Relevance to Interoceptive Desensitization in Mindfulness and Therapies Aiming at Transdiagnostic Efficacy Frontiers in Psychology December 22, 2020
- fMRI-based explanations for how meditation could modulate pain processing. Frontiers in Neuroscience 2025
- Experiences of a Neurofeedback-Based Mindfulness Meditation Intervention for Migraine: Qualitative Study. JMIR neurotechnology 2025
and 17 more in the library