Cortical sensory loss : is it always cortical?

A 38 year male suffering from cardioembolic stroke developed acute left hemiplegia and cortical sensory loss, which included graphanesthesia, impairment of two point discrimination and tactile inattention. CT scan revealed haemorrhagic infarction inright corona radiata and anterior limb of internal capsule. On day 13, cortical SEPS were absent and there was bifrontal and left parietal hypoperfusion on SPECT studies. Both the sensory loss, and SEP improved on day 28, which correlated with improvement in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). The cortical sensory loss, therefore, can also occur in subcortical lesion and may be due to cerebral diaschisis.