{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T18:59:59Z","timestamp":1791658799859,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,4]],"date-time":"2025-07-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751587200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Italian Ministry of Health in the framework of the projects NEUROMETAVERSE (Translational Research Line of Santa Lucia Foundation)","award":["RF-2019-12369396"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RF-2019-12369396"]}]},{"name":"Italian Ministry of Health in the framework of the projects NEUROMETAVERSE (Translational Research Line of Santa Lucia Foundation)","award":["RM123188B4C92FF4"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RM123188B4C92FF4"]}]},{"name":"Sapienza University with the project HeART","award":["RF-2019-12369396"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RF-2019-12369396"]}]},{"name":"Sapienza University with the project HeART","award":["RM123188B4C92FF4"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RM123188B4C92FF4"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Serious videogames have already demonstrated their positive impact on rehabilitation and of particular interest is the virtual reality (VR) technology. This immersive technology has been used in this study to create a neuroaesthetic experience based on the Michelangelo effect for the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury. The aim of this study was to test the usability of a system for virtual art therapy and its capacity to assess patients\u2019 deficits performances. Methods: A VR headset was worn by the participants who experienced a painting simulation of famous artworks (artistic stimuli) against a coloring canvas (non-artistic stimuli). The trajectories of the hand were studied to obtain different kinematic and spectral parameters to evaluate the user performances. A total of 13 healthy subjects and 13 patients with spinal cord injury participated in this study. Results: Significative differences were obtained for most of the parameters between the two groups, except for the normalized jerk and energy of the spectrum. Analysis in the frequency domain showed that both groups preferred horizontal movements for painting the canvas. The NASA and USEQ scores reported a comfortable and user-friendly system according to the patients\u2019 point of view. Conclusions: The system can be a usable tool, the rehabilitative efficacy of which should be tested in patients with spinal cord injury. The kinematic and spectral parameters would allow for the evaluation of the performances alongside the clinical scales, distinguish pathological and physiological performances.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s25134173","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]],"date-time":"2025-07-07T04:43:37Z","timestamp":1751863417000},"page":"4173","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6955-7534","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michela","family":"Franz\u00f2","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"De Angelis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2434-3887","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Iosa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gaetano","family":"Tieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Virtual Reality & Digital Neuroscience Lab, Department of Law and Digital Society, Unitelma Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giorgia","family":"Corsini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giovanni Generoso","family":"Cellupica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valentina","family":"Loi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5641-1189","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fabiano","family":"Bini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Franco","family":"Marinozzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giorgio","family":"Scivoletto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Federica","family":"Tamburella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Life Sciences, Health and Health Professions, Link Campus University of Rome, 00165 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sung, H., Kim, M., Park, J., Shin, N., and Han, Y. 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