This disclosure provides methods and compositions for treating disorders or injuries that affect motor function and control in a subject. In one aspect, the invention provides a method to deliver a transgene to a subject's spinal cord by administering a recombinant neurotropic viral vector containing the transgene. The viral vector delivers the transgene to a region of the deep cerebellar nuclei region of the brain. Also provided are compositions and methods to deliver a transgene to a subject's spinal cord by administering a recombinant neurotropic viral vector containing the transgene to the motor cortex region of the subject's brain.