Research Statement
My long-term academic goal is to advance interdisciplinary research elucidating the nature of mind-body interactions in both health and illness, by integrating studies of consciousness with medicine. My background includes cognitive psychology (UCSD), affective science (UC Berkeley & UW-Madison), and pain research (Univ. of Washington). Two domains of research focus are: 1) underlying mechanisms of placebo analgesia, investigated through my NIH RO1 grant, and 2) the function of somatic awareness in mind-body interactions. I serve as the PI of the Utah Center for Exploring Mind-Body Interactions (UCEMBI). UCEMBI has two themes. First, UCEMBI focuses on methods that enhance somatic awareness for the purpose of human change (e.g., meditation), in order to increase our understanding of somatic awareness. Second, UCEMBI focuses on chronic multi-symptom disorders (such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome), in which awareness of pain and of fatigue are salient features. The long-term goal of UCEMBI is to investigate whether cultivation of somatic awareness and of mindfulness can ameliorate clinical conditions that are difficult to treat medically. I would like to promote and contribute to the ongoing creation of a contemplative, rigorous experimental and experiential science of the mind and body.
Research Keywords
- Awareness
- Consciousness
- Mindfulness
- Pain and Suffering
Presentations
- Nakamura Y, Chapman CR. (2003) The placebo response: implications for causal efficacy of consciousness. Conference Paper, Other, 05/30/2003.
- Nakamura Y. (2002) The nature of placebo response: A challenge for theories of consciousness. Conference Paper presented at Proceedings of the meeting of "Toward a Science of Consciousness, 2002 - Tucson V", Tucson, AZ. Conference Paper, Other, 04/08/2002.
- Chapman CR, Nakamura Y. (2000) Disorders of consciousness: A new look at suffering. Poster presented at 4th Annual Meeting of Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (ASSC): The Unity of Consciousness: Binding, Integration, and Dissociation, Brussels. Poster, Other, 06/29/2000.
- Raffety B, Allendoefer C, Minstrell J, Chabal C, Dunbar P, Nakamura Y. (2000) A facet-based system for computer-assisted instruction in pain management for elderly patients. Conference Paper, Other, 01/01/2000.
- Chapman CR, Nakamura Y, Jacobson RC, Bradshaw, DH, Flores L, Donaldson GW. (1999) Differential psychophysiological correlates of sensory and affective pain reports in normal volunteers. Poster presented at 9th World Congress on Pain, Vienna. Poster, Other, 08/22/1999.
- Nakamura Y, Chapman CR. (1998) A constructivist approach to pain perception. Poster presented at Toward a Science of Consciousness, 1998 - Tucson III, Tucson, AZ. Poster, Other, 04/27/1998.
- Nakamura Y, Howland EW, SuthersJ, Cleeland CS. (1994) Effects of hypnosis on subjective pain ratings and evoked potential amplitudes. Poster presented at 13th Annual Scientific Meeting for the American Pain Society (APS), Miami Beach, FL. Poster, Other, 11/01/1994.
- Mendoza TR, Cleeland CS, Nakamura Y, Serlin RC. (1994) Cross-cultural similarities and differences in cancer pain interference. Poster presented at 13th Annual Scientific Meeting for the American Pain Society (APS), Miami Beach, FL. Poster, Other, 11/01/1994.
- Howland EW, Russell DP, Wang M, Nakamura Y, Backonja M, Mjaanes B, Jones JR, Wakai R, Cleeland CS. (1994) Concordance Between Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Following Painful Stimulation. Poster presented at 13th Annual Scientific Meeting for the American Pain Society (APS), Miami Beach, FL. Poster, Other, 11/01/1994.
- Russell DP, Backonja M, Howland EW, Jones JR, Nakamura Y, Wang M, Sorenson JA. (1993) Functional neuroimaging of noxious and innocuous tactile stimuli. Poster presented at 12th Annual Meeting of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, New York City. Poster, Other, 08/01/1993.
Geographical Regions of Interest
- Japan