Dysartrie

Dysartrie, known in English as dysarthria, is a motor speech disorder caused by impaired control of the muscles used for speech. It results from neurological or neuromuscular dysfunction that affects the lips, tongue, palate, vocal cords, or respiratory system, leading to imprecise articulation, altered voice quality, and abnormal prosody.

Causes include acute events such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, and infections, as well as chronic neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy. Other contributors are bulbar weakness, myasthenia gravis, metabolic disorders, and medication effects. Age-related changes and swallowing disorders frequently accompany dysarthria.

Classification is commonly based on the site of neuromuscular impairment and results in several subtypes: spastic, flaccid, ataxic, hypokinetic, hyperkinetic, or mixed dysarthria. Core symptoms include slurred or slow speech, imprecise consonants, distorted vowels, reduced speech intelligibility, abnormal pitch or loudness, and variable fatigue of the voice. Some patients also experience dysphonia or dysphagia.

Diagnosis is made by a multidisciplinary team, typically a neurologist and a speech-language pathologist, through clinical examination, articulation testing, and measurements of intelligibility and speech rate. Neuroimaging or electrophysiological studies may be used to identify underlying brain lesions.

Management is tailored to cause and severity and often involves speech therapy focused on articulation, respiration, and phonation, rate control, and compensatory strategies. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices may be recommended for severe cases. Treating the underlying condition can improve or stabilize dysarthria in some disorders.

Prognosis varies by etiology and severity; early assessment and ongoing therapy improve communication, safety, and quality of life.