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Research Projects
RehArt Project
Enriched Stroke Rehabilitation through Music and Leisure Activities: Exploring recovery, brain biomarkers, and aspects for implementation (RehArt)
Brief description of the problem
Hospital rehabilitation environments provide insufficient stimulation, and people who have suffered a stroke remain alone and inactive for most of the day. This scenario is alarming, as there is a limited time window of increased plasticity after a stroke, during which the potential for recovery is at its maximum. Preclinical evidence from animal models highlights the importance of a stimulating and enriched environment to increase activity levels and promote changes in brain plasticity. Since enriched environments are the standard in these models, the translation of this intervention into human research has been limited.
Project’s objectives
The objective of the project is to evaluate the effect of incorporating an enriched intervention that combines recreational activities and musical training into a standard rehabilitation program for hospitalized individuals who have suffered a stroke in the subacute phase. Specifically, clinical benefits will be assessed; individual sociopsychological differences will be examined, along with the experiences of participants and their caregivers, as well as the practical and economic feasibility of the intervention.
Methodology
This is a randomized, controlled, single-blind, single-center trial that will include three types of intervention, with a total planned duration of three years. Approximately ninety individuals with subacute stroke admitted to the neurological rehabilitation center of Centro Esperanza (Hospital del Mar) will be recruited. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups (standard care, standard care with music-based therapy, and standard care with enriched intervention). In addition, they must meet predefined inclusion criteria.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline, at hospital discharge, and at a one-month follow-up, focusing on performance in activities of daily living and motor, cognitive, and language functions, as well as emotional well-being and quality of life. Furthermore, the impact of the lesion on brain structure and function will be evaluated, and sociopsychological variables will be collected at baseline to examine their mediating effect on recovery. In addition, qualitative methods will be used to explore the experiences of participants and their caregivers with the intervention from a gender perspective. Finally, a feasibility and cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted to facilitate its future clinical implementation.
Expected results
The results have the potential to positively impact participants, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Greater recovery after stroke will enhance community reintegration and reduce caregiver burden, contributing to a person-centered approach. Furthermore, clinical rehabilitation guidelines will be improved, with the potential to modify hospital environments to increase activity levels among inpatients. Interventions such as recreational activities and musical training may represent cost-effective and easily implementable approaches. In this way, costs associated with disability can be reduced, thereby decreasing the burden on public healthcare and social resources.
Communications derived from the project
- Grau-Sánchez, J., Codern-Bové, N., Ramírez, C., Carles Lavila, M., Duarte, E. (2025, May 22–24). RehArt Project: Innovation in Hospital Environments for Stroke Recovery [Oral presentation]. 1st International Congress of the General Council of Occupational Therapy Colleges, Madrid, Spain.
- Vargas Arjona, I., Vallès Valverde, S., Pons Batet, B., Codern-Bové, N., Ramírez, C., Carles Lavila, M., Duarte, E., & Grau-Sánchez, J. (2025, May 14–16). Enriched Hospital Environments in Stroke Rehabilitation: Exploring Patient Experience and Assessing Practical and Economic Feasibility [Oral presentation]. 14th International Congress of Occupational Therapy Students & 8th International Congress of Occupational Therapy, Miguel Hernández University, Alicante, Spain.
- Pons Batet, B., Vargas Arjona, I., Vallès Valverde, S., Codern-Bové, N., Ramírez, C., Carles Lavila, M., Duarte, E., & Grau-Sánchez, J. (2025, May 14–16). Enriched Environments in Hospital Stroke Rehabilitation: Protocol of a Clinical Trial [Oral presentation]. 14th International Congress of Occupational Therapy Students & 8th International Congress of Occupational Therapy, Miguel Hernández University, Alicante, Spain.
- Kolliopoulou, E., Tamiazzo, J., de Diego Alonso, C., & Grau Sánchez, J. (2025, December 10–12). Enriched stroke rehabilitation through music- and leisure-based activities: Exploring recovery, brain biomarkers, and implementation aspects [Oral presentation]. 2nd Congress on Innovation in Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy, Spain.
- Grau Sánchez, J., Tamiazzo, J., de Diego Alonso, C., & Kolliopoulou, E. (2025, December 10–12). Incorporating occupational complexity into cognitive reserve models for post-stroke recovery [Oral presentation]. 2nd Congress on Innovation in Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy, Spain.
- Grau-Sánchez, J., Pons Batet, B., Vargas Arjona, I., Vallès Valverde, S., Ramírez, C., de Diego Alonso, C., Carles Lavila, M., Codern-Bové, N., Raghavan, P., & Duarte, E. (2026, February 9–12). Enhancing inpatient stroke rehabilitation through enriched environments: A randomized controlled trial integrating leisure activities and music therapy [Scientific poster]. 19th World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress, Brisbane, Australia.