The path to understanding such a complex phenomena as motor behavior is not a straight one.  Motor control and performance are  observable behaviors which are mediated by internal brain structures.  Motor learning, on the other hand, is a broader term encompassing a wide spectrum of neural and behavioral changes.  Motor learning research has attended more closely to observable behaviours, with little work done in the underlying mechanisms.  Consequently, we have limited information on the neural basis of learning.  However, it has become clear that several brain structures are involved and that the neural locus of motor learning doesn't reside in one single structure (Worringham, Smiley-Oyen, & Cross, 1996).

To better comprehend the underlying mechanisms of motor performance, one needs to have a clear understanding of  brain anatomy, the stages of learning, and the processes of movement execution.

People with a physical disability, such as paraplegia, will have the same neural basis for motor learning as non-disabled people.  Patterns of activation may differ due to compensatory mechanisms and different biomechanical requirements for someone in a wheel-chair.  To find out more on how neurological substrates relevant to motor learning may be influenced by spinal cord lesions, click here.