Answer this question to the best of your ability:
How does mindfulness practice impact the brain's neuroplasticity related to pain perception?
Mindfulness practice can positively impact the brain's neuroplasticity related to pain perception by promoting structural and functional changes in the brain. Research has shown that long-term practitioners of mindfulness meditation exhibit increased gray matter density in regions such as the hippocampus, which is involved in learning and memory, and the insula, which plays a key role in interoception or the perception of internal bodily states including pain.

These structural changes are associated with enhanced emotional regulation and stress resilience, which can help individuals better manage their pain over time. Furthermore, mindfulness practice can also lead to functional changes in brain networks responsible for pain processing, such as the default mode network (DMN), which is active during mind-wandering and self-referential thinking. By reducing activity in the DMN and increasing connectivity between other brain regions involved in attention and emotion regulation, mindfulness can help individuals develop more adaptive coping strategies for managing pain.