Interview with Dr. Emma Segura – 8th European Congress on Neurorehabilitation in conjunction with the 20th Congress of the Society for the Study of Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity

Interviewee: Dr. Emma Segura

Interviewer: Ms. Stefana-Andrada Dobran

The 8th European Congress on Neurorehabilitation, in conjunction with the 20th Congress of the Society for the Study of Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity, was held on 27–28 October 2025 in Torremolinos, Spain.

The landmark event highlighted innovations that are actively reshaping neurorehabilitation, including:

• Brain–Computer Interfaces: Advancing from theoretical concepts to real-world clinical applications for functional restoration.

• AI, Virtual Reality, and Robotics: Enhancing rehabilitation through more precise, personalised, and adaptive treatment protocols.

• Advanced Pharmacological Therapies: Developing agents that actively support and protect neuroplasticity.

• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Emphasising that the most impactful innovations emerge at the intersection of multiple specialties.

Dr. Emma Segura is a postdoctoral researcher at the Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain. She specializes in music-based therapies for clinical rehabilitation, investigating how music interacts with brain function. Her research spans anhedonia, stroke neurorehabilitation, chronic pain, and natural singing rewards. Dr. Segura currently coordinates a major European clinical trial on music therapy for substance use disorder.

In this interview, Dr. Emma Segura discusses the role of enriched, music-based interventions in neurorehabilitation. She highlights how translational research bridges basic science and clinical care, explores the use of augmented reality to enhance therapy dosage and engagement, and emphasizes addressing anhedonia through meaningful, reward-based activities. Dr. Segura also shares her vision for early, multisensory interventions in hospitals and the importance of individualized, evidence-based approaches in neurological rehabilitation.