Subcortical Brain Involvement Is Associated With Impaired Performance on the Psychomotor Vigilance Task After Minor Stroke.

Subcortical stroke location was associated with impaired vigilant attention. The poorest PVT performers had stroke lesions involving the corona radiata, internal capsule, globus pallidus, and thalamus, suggesting that vigilance depends on the integrity of subcortical structures and their connections with cortical brain regions.