Meditation for Opioid-Treated Chronic Low Back Pain

This study is looking at how mindfulness meditation can help people with chronic low back pain who are also taking opioid medication. Researchers want to understand how meditation affects the brain's response to pain. You might be able to join if you are 18-65 years old, have chronic low back pain (pain on at least half the days in the past 6 months, with a usual pain score of 3 or higher on a 0-10 scale), and have been using prescription opioids for at least 3 months. The study will compare meditation training with usual care (like pain medication or physical therapy). Success will be measured by changes in brain activity related to blood oxygen levels (BOLD signaling) after 8 weeks. The current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 188 participants. It compares meditation training with usual care for chronic low back pain.
What's involved
Participants will complete 8 sessions of meditation training or receive usual care. Brain activity will be measured at the beginning of the study and after 8 weeks.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05607381

Neural Mechanisms of Meditation for Opioid-Treated Chronic Low Back Pain

Recruiting
NAAges 18–65InterventionalTreatment
University of Utah
~188 participants
Updated 2026-07-27 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:MeditationUsual care

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signaling
Measured over At baseline and at post-treatment (8 weeks)
Low Back Pain
Opioid Use
2 sites across 2 states
California1
Utah1
  • Eric Garland, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Utah
  • Fadel Zeidan, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of California, San Diego

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  • Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signalingAt baseline and at post-treatment (8 weeks)

    Changes in blood oxygenation levels to thermally noxious stimuli (48°C) will be assessed.