Elsevier Nov 1 2024 Mindfulness meditation, which has been used for centuries for pain management in various cultures, has long been speculated to work by activating processes supporting the placebo response. However, scientists have now shown that this is not the case. A new study in Biological Psychiatry , published by Elsevier, has revealed that mindfulness meditation engages distinct brain mechanisms to reduce pain, compared to those of the placebo response. Pain is a complex, multifaceted