Differences in attentional selective control after rostral and dorsal putaminal lesions

Introduction: The classic view of putaminal function is dominated by its involvement in the motor loop of the basal ganglia. Yet functional imaging in healthy subjects and patients suggest a role in attention and working memory. Specific cortical regions and thalamic structures are connected with specific putaminal regions. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) projects to the rostral part, motor areas project to the dorsal part. This functional topography is maintained in the output structures of the basal ganglia and in the thalamus (Haber et al. 2001). The DLPFC is part of the attention network. Therefor…