Dysarthria

Dysarthria (or outdated Dysarthropneumophonie ) is a collective term for various disorders of speech, caused by acquired brain damage or the cranial nerves and the peripheral facial nerve. It can thereby be restricted, both the control and the execution of the opening movement. This allows the articulation of sounds distorted to sound wishy-washy incomprehensible. In the most severe form of disorder, the anarthria, a complete inability can be made to execute speech movements ( sounds or words can not even be breathed ). When dysarthria participating in the process of speaking muscles and organs are intact as such, as well as the linguistic knowledge. Disturbed is only the motor innervation of the speech muscles. These functions are affected are those of the articulators (lips, tongue, jaw, velum ), the breathing and the larynx.

Causes of dysarthric disturbance are in various neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinocerebellar ataxia or chorea major ( Huntington ) or chorea minor ( Sydenham ) and multiple sclerosis. Dysarthria can also serve as temporary neurological disorder prior to a migraine attack - as so-called migraine aura - occur. In this case the interference takes usually 20 to 60 minutes. The classification of dysarthria may look as follows: spastic dysarthria, flaccid dysarthria, rigid- hypokinetic dysarthria, hyperkinetic dysarthria and ataxic dysarthria. These distinctions are made depending on the underlying disorder picture, have an impact on therapy and provide guidance on the further course of dysarthria. In clinical practice, however, usually occur mixed forms.

Standardized test methods for the diagnosis of dysarthria in German-speaking countries Aachen materials for diagnosis Neurogenic language disorders ( AMDNS ), the Munich-based course profile ( MVP) and the Frenchay Dysarthria investigation.

In many cases, the symptoms of dysarthria by a speech therapy influence (with a speech therapist, for example ) and a corresponding training.

The dysarthria is distinguished from other speech disorders such as non- neurogenic or psychogenic Dysglossien Dyslalien and disorders of fluency ( stuttering ). To be distinguished from speech disorders are speech disorders such as dysphonia and aphasia.