dysarthria
Pronunciation: dis-AR-three-uh
Motor speech disorder affecting articulation due to weakness or incoordination of speech muscles.
Full Definition
Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder characterized by difficulty articulating words due to weakness, slowness, or incoordination of the muscles used for speech production. Unlike aphasia, which affects language processing, dysarthria specifically impairs the motor execution of speech while language content remains intact. The condition can result from stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or other neurological conditions affecting the cranial nerves, cerebellum, or motor cortex. Different types include spastic, flaccid, ataxic, hypokinetic, and hyperkinetic dysarthria, each with characteristic speech patterns.
Usage
Usage note: Motor speech problem affecting articulation, not language content like aphasia.
In Context
- "The patient's spastic dysarthria was characterized by slow, effortful speech." — speech pathology evaluation
- "Hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson's disease improved with voice therapy." — treatment outcome