Inclusion Criteria (Experimental Group):

• Stroke patients with persistent upper extremity (UE) deficits

Inclusion Criteria (Control Group 1)

• Stroke patients without UE impairments

• Participants with risk factors for stroke

• healthy controls

  • No known neurologic, psychiatric or developmental disability

Inclusion Criteria (Control Group 2)

• Stroke patients with persistent upper extremity (UE) deficits
• Moderate upper extremity (dominant right hand affected) impairment (score of 1 or 2 on the motor sub-component of the NIH stroke scale (NIHSS) and ARAT score 20-45)
• No upper extremity injury or conditions that limited use prior to the stroke
• Pre-stroke independence with a Modified Rankin Score of 0 or 1, for the standard FES only intervention.

Exclusion Criteria (for all participants):

• Allergic to electrode gel, surgical tape and metals
• Participants under treatment for infectious diseases or having apparent oral lesions or inflammation will be excluded from the study
• Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant during the course of the study will be excluded
• Participants with contraindications for MRI will be offered the opportunity to participate in the interventions study only (e.g. EEG-BCI-FES and behavioral testing)

Exclusion Criteria (for healthy controls)

• Contraindications for MRI
• Allergic to electrode gel, surgical tape, and metals.