Puzzle Pieces on Pain: Exploring Minor Cannabinoids and Terpenes

September 30, 2020 Director's Message

When we consider opportunities to advance complementary and integrative health research, nowhere is the need clearer than when we examine the burden of chronic pain. About 40 percent of NCCIH’s research portfolio is dedicated to better understanding pain and exploring promising therapeutic approaches.

Clinical Digest: Yoga for Pain

The September 2020 issue of the digest provides a summary of available research on yoga for pain, including fibromyalgia, low-back pain, headaches, neck pain, and arthritis.

Characterizing Post-Exertional Malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

New research suggests that post-exertional malaise (PEM) in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) varies greatly among individuals and leads to a diminished quality of life. Recently published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology, this is the first publication resulting from the NIH Intramural Study on ME/CFS, which is led by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in collaboration with dozens of investigators from at least eight institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health, including the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Researchers Develop New Metrics for Measuring Mental States During Meditation

In a recent proof-of-principle study, researchers developed a new framework, based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, to identify mental states during meditation, including the focus-on-breath state and mind wandering, and to estimate how much time meditators spend in each state. The study—partially funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health—was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

Resources for Researchers

New Funding Opportunities

Upcoming Events

NCCIH Hot Topic Webinar: Implementation Science and Complementary Health Interventions

September 30, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET

The purpose of this webinar is to share the state of the science around implementation science and complementary and integrative health approaches with NCCIH stakeholders. The speakers are experts in implementation science research and the webinar will be of great value to integrative health researchers and others interested in learning about NCCIH research interests.

NCCIH Workshop 2020: Exploring the Mechanisms Underlying Analgesic Properties of Minor Cannabinoids and Terpenes

October 23, 2020 from 9:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET

The overall goals of this workshop are two fold—one is to convene principal investigators funded by NCCIH on the topic of the analgesic properties of minor cannabinoids and terpenes from natural products and the underlying mechanisms; and the other is to discuss current research barriers and opportunities on this topic.

This event will be livestreamed. Registration is required.

In case you missed it...

The Science and Practice of Yoga

Drs. Lanay Mudd and Pam Jeter presented the science and practice of yoga on September 29 for a National Yoga Month livestream. Learn about the latest research on yoga for health and also see a demonstration of yoga poses that you can do at home. View the archive.