aetiology
Last reviewed 01/2018
The most common cause of dysarthria is alcohol intoxication.
Other causes include:
- cerebellar disease: causing a scanning dysarthria
- extrapyramidal disease: causes monotonous speech since it causes bradykinesia and muscular rigidity
- bulbar or pseudobulbar palsy
- bilateral lower cranial nerve lesions of cranial nerves IX, X or XII cause a nasal speech, e.g. motor neurone disease, bulbar polio, syringobulbia, medullary tumour, Guillain-Barre syndrome
- bilateral upper motor neurone of cranial nerves IX, X or XII causes a spastic dysarthria, e.g. cerebral ischaemia, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis
- paralysis or weakness of facial muscles: causes slurred speech
- oral lesions, e.g. mouth ulceration, loose dentures