dysarthria
Pronunciation: dis-AR-three-uh
Motor speech disorder affecting articulation due to weakness or paralysis of speech muscles.
Full Definition
Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder resulting from impaired muscular control of the speech mechanism due to central or peripheral nervous system damage. Unlike aphasia, which affects language processing, dysarthria specifically impacts the physical production of speech. The condition can affect respiration, phonation, resonance, articulation, and prosody. Different types include spastic, flaccid, ataxic, hypokinetic, and hyperkinetic dysarthria, each associated with specific neurological lesion patterns.
Usage
Usage note: Often confused with aphasia; dysarthria affects speech production, not language comprehension or formulation.
In Context
- "The patient's dysarthria improved with speech therapy following the cerebellar infarct." — Rehabilitation progress note
- "Hypokinetic dysarthria is commonly observed in Parkinson's disease patients." — Movement disorder clinic report