Neuromodulatory systems, such as the cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF), are promising targets of behavioral neuroscientific research because of the clear role(s) they play in fundamental neural and behavioral plasticity processes. Previous research suggests that the CBF is a promising target for augmenting post-stroke behavioral rehabilitation. Several studies were conducted to establish a novel paradigm for investigating and ameliorating post-stroke related motor deficits in a rodent model. The first two studies describe the invention and validation of a novel apparatus for conducting individualized rodent research in an environmentally and socially enriched context. The second study specifically investigated how this approach yields novel insights into post-stroke motor deficits. The third study describes how electrical stimulation of the CBF may improve poststroke motor rehabilitation. Together, these studies are expected to improve current stroke models, our understanding of how the CBF supports fundamental learning processes, and how to best manipulate the CBF to improve recovery from neurological injury.