We assess the structural integrity of the fibres connecting the thalamus, primary motor cortex and cerebellum in PDOC. PDOC patients showed reduced FA relative to controls on the fibres connecting thalamus and primary motor cortex. Individual analyses in a subset of patients also revealed lower FA in supratentorial but not infratentorial tracts. Structural damage to motor fibres may lead to reduced responsiveness in PDOC. Behavioural assessments may underestimate the level of retained cognitive function.