​Mindfulness-based therapies in RA have yielded modest effects on clinical outcomes and a limited understanding of how mindfulness specifically works in RA, possibly due to variability in the mix of therapeutic ingredients across studies. 

Mindful breathing (MB) is the most elemental form of mindfulness meditation and is well suited for RA as it trains individuals to self-regulate cognitive and affective appraisals during RA-induced pain flares.

Our proposed investigation will study associated neural mechanisms underlying the benefits of specific mindfulness components, including MB, an approach that will enable the refinement and increase the impact of these therapies.