Enhancing Natural Reward Responsiveness Among Opioid Users Predicts Chronic Pain Relief: EEG Analyses From a Trial of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement.
Eric L Garland, Matthew O Howard
Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research 2018 DOI: 10.1086/697685 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 29 |
| Population | Opioid-treated chronic pain patients with complete ERP data |
| Duration | 8 weeks of treatment, with follow-up to 3 months |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Chronic pain Late positive potential Opioid Reward |
| Key findings | Increases in electrocortical response to naturally rewarding stimuli were associated with decreased pain severity, reduced pain catastrophizing, greater use of diverting attention as a coping strategy, and, at three-month follow-up, less pain interference. The authors propose that chronic pain may be alleviated by enhancing brain response to natural rewards. |
Abstract
Although opioid-treated chronic pain patients evidence blunted responsiveness to natural rewards, focusing on naturally rewarding stimuli can produce analgesia in these patients. A prior randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated that a social work intervention-Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE)-enhanced natural reward processing as indicated by event-related brain potentials (ERPs). The aim of the present study was to perform a secondary data analysis on ERPs collected in this RCT to explore whether improvements in electrocortical response to natural reward predicted pain relief. The sample for this secondary analysis included opioid-treated chronic pain patients with complete ERP data (N = 29). Participants were randomized to 8 weeks of MORE or a support group control condition, and ERPs to images representing naturally rewarding stimuli were measured before and after 8 weeks of treatment. We explored associations between changes in brain reward response, chronic pain symptoms, and pain coping. Increases in ERP reward response were significantly associated with decreased pain severity from pretreatment to posttreatment (β = -.48, p = .007) and improvements in pain catastrophizing (β = -.36, p = .05) and diverting attention as a means of pain coping (β = .38, p = .043). Increased ERP reward response predicted decreased pain interference by 3-month follow-up (β = -.37, p = .048). Chronic pain may be alleviated by enhancing brain response to natural rewards.
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
Cited by 4
- Dynamic processes of mindfulness-based alterations in pain perception. Frontiers in Neuroscience 2023
- Electroencephalography-Based Measures to Understand Meditation and Mindfulness: Bibliometric Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2026
- Mindfulness-based interventions for substance use disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews October 20, 2021
- Mapping the Affective Dimension of Embodiment With the Sensation Manikin: Validation Among Chronic Pain Patients and Modification by Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement Psychosomatic Medicine September 1, 2019
Cites 9
- Restructuring reward processing with Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement: novel therapeutic mechanisms to remediate hedonic dysregulation in addiction, stress, and pain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences April 1, 2016
- Restructuring Reward Mechanisms in Nicotine Addiction: A Pilot fMRI Study of Mindfulness‐Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Cigarette Smokers Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2017
- Positive Emotion Correlates of Meditation Practice: A Comparison of Mindfulness Meditation and Loving-kindness Meditation Mindfulness May 29, 2017
- Neurophysiological Evidence for Remediation of Reward Processing Deficits in Chronic Pain and Opioid Misuse Following Treatment with Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement: Exploratory ERP Findings from a Pilot RCT Journal of Behavioral Medicine November 11, 2014
- Mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement for chronic pain and prescription opioid misuse: results from an early-stage randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology February 3, 2014
and 4 more in the library