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The ability to walk independently with the velocity and endurance that permit home and community activities is a highly regarded goal for neurological rehabilitation after stroke. This pilot study explored a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation paradigm for its ability to reflect phases of motor learning over the course of locomotor rehabilitation-mediated functional gains. Ankle dorsiflexion is an important kinematic aspect of the swing and initial stance phase of the gait cycle. The motor control of dorsiflexion depends in part on descending input from primary motor cortex. Thus, an fMRI activation paradigm using voluntary ankle dorsiflexion has face validity for the serial study of walking-related interventions. Healthy control subjects consistently engaged contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex (S1M1), supplementary motor area (SMA), premotor (PM) and cingulate motor (CMA) cortices, and …