dysarthria
Pronunciation: dis-AR-three-ah
A motor speech disorder resulting from neurological damage affecting speech muscle control and coordination.
Full Definition
Dysarthria encompasses a group of motor speech disorders caused by neurological damage that affects the strength, speed, range, steadiness, tone, or accuracy of movements required for speech production. The condition can affect respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, and prosody, resulting in reduced speech intelligibility and naturalness. Dysarthria is classified by type (flaccid, spastic, ataxic, hypokinetic, hyperkinetic, mixed, or unilateral upper motor neuron) based on the neuroanatomical site of lesion and resulting perceptual characteristics. Treatment focuses on maximizing speech intelligibility through various compensatory strategies and techniques.
Usage
Usage note: Do not capitalize unless beginning sentence; specify type when known (e.g., spastic dysarthria).
In Context
- "The patient presents with hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson's disease." — Medical report
- "Dysarthria treatment emphasized breath support and articulatory precision." — Treatment documentation