Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Define Dysarthria - CORRECT ANSWER - A collective name for a group of speech
disorders that result from disturbances in muscular control over the speech mechanism (due to
damage of the CNS or PNS).
What is Flaccid Dysarthria? - CORRECT ANSWER - Caused by bulbar palsy (multiple
cranial nerve damage that can be caused by lower motor neuron lesions)
Salient features are:
1.) Weakness of muscle contraction & hypotonia
2.) This is the only motor disorder in which a rapid breakdown of speech can occur after a short
period of continuous speaking.
Distinguishing Features:
1.) Hypernasality (often w nasal emission of air)
2.) Breathiness (continuous during phonation)
3.) Audible inspiration/stridor on inhalation
4.) Short phrases
Spastic Dysarthria - CORRECT ANSWER - Found in Pseudobulbar Palsy (bilateral
spastic paralysis affects bulbar musculature, most commonly caused by strokes & head trauma.);
pyramidal system and portion of extrapyramidal.
Upper motor neuron lesions cause spastic, stiff muscles, sluggish movement with limited range,
and weakness.
Differentiating Features:
1.) Strained-strangled voice quality
, 2.) Slow speech rate
3.) Slow and regular AMRs
Hypokinetic Dysarthria - CORRECT ANSWER - JOE BIDEN; Associated with
Parkinsonism; Extrapyramidal system; caused by damage to basal ganglia & cortex
Characteristics:
1.) Slow, limited range
2.) Immobility and paucity
3.) Rigidity and loss of automaticity
4.) Rest tremor
Important Features:
1.) Marked limitations in range of motion
2.) Slow and lack of vigor for individualized movements
3.) Hesitations and false starts
4.) Slow, repetitive movements at times, and at other times, very fast & limited range
5.) ONLY dysarthria in which rapid rate can occur, and in which repeated phonemes and palilalia
are often found.
Hyperkinetic Dysarthria - CORRECT ANSWER - Associated with chorea and dystonia;
abnormal involuntary movements; damage in basal ganglia or cerebellar control circuits.
Characteristics:
1.) Imprecise consonants
2.) Sudden forced inspiration or expiration
3.) Variable rate and loudness
4.) Irregular articulatory breakdown; prolonged intervals/phonemes
5.) Reduced stress