What part of the brain controls slurred speech

Dysarthria is loss of the ability to articulate words normally.

• Speech may be jerky, staccato, breathy, irregular, imprecise, or monotonous, but people can understand language and use it correctly.

• Practitioners evaluate muscle strength and movement by asking the person to do some simple tasks involving their mouth and tongue and to repeat words and sentences.

• Speech therapy helps some people with dysarthria.

Although dysarthria seems to be a language problem, it is really a problem with controlling the muscles of speech (a motor problem).

Dysarthria may be caused by damage to the following:

• Parts of the brain that control muscle movement.

• The nerve fibers that connect the outer layer of the cerebrum (cerebral cortex) to the brain stem: These nerve fibers relay information needed to control and coordinate the muscles used to produce speech, including muscles of the lips, tongue, palate, and vocal cords.

These structures can be damaged by degenerative disorders (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Other Motor Neuron Diseases (MNDs) Motor neuron diseases are characterized by progressive deterioration of the nerve cells that initiate muscle movement. As a result, the muscles stimulated by these nerves deteriorate, become... read more , Parkinson disease Parkinson Disease (PD) Parkinson disease is a slowly progressive degenerative disorder of specific areas of the brain. It is characterized by tremor when muscles are at rest (resting tremor), increased muscle tone... read more , and Huntington disease Huntington Disease Huntington disease is a hereditary disease that begins with occasional involuntary jerking or spasms, then progresses to more pronounced involuntary movements (chorea and athetosis), mental... read more ), multiple sclerosis Introduction to Meningitis Meningitis is inflammation of the layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord (meninges) and of the fluid-filled space between the meninges (subarachnoid space). Meningitis can be... read more , head injuries Overview of Head Injuries Head injuries that involve the brain are particularly concerning. Common causes of head injuries include falls, motor vehicle crashes, assaults, and mishaps during sports and recreational activities... read more , brain tumors Overview of Brain Tumors A brain tumor can be a noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant) growth in the brain. It may originate in the brain or have spread (metastasized) to the brain from another part of the body... read more , strokes Overview of Stroke A stroke occurs when an artery to the brain becomes blocked or ruptures, resulting in death of an area of brain tissue due to loss of its blood supply (cerebral infarction) and symptoms that... read more , or infections such as Lyme disease Lyme Disease Lyme disease is a tick-transmitted infection caused by Borrelia species, primarily by Borrelia burgdorferi and sometimes by Borrelia mayonii in the United States. These... read more

People who have dysarthria produce sounds that approximate what they mean and that are in the correct order. However, speech may be jerky, staccato, breathy, irregular, imprecise, or monotonous, depending on where the damage is.

Because the ability to understand and use language is not usually affected, most people with dysarthria can read and write normally.

The disorder that causes dysarthria can also cause difficulty chewing and swallowing.

• A doctor's evaluation

• Standardized tests of brain function

• Imaging tests

To diagnose dysarthria, a doctor asks the person about symptoms and does a physical examination. A speech therapist often helps in the evaluation. The practitioner may also do the following:

• Ask the person to do some simple tasks, such as blowing out a candle, biting the lower lip, and sticking out the tongue: Observing the person doing these tasks helps the practitioner evaluate the strength and movement of the muscles involved in speech.

• Ask the person to repeat words and sentences, sing, and count: Observing the person producing sounds helps the practitioner detect problems with speaking, such as breathiness and jerky speech.

Standardized tests of brain function (neuropsychologic testing Diagnosis ) may be given by a neuropsychologist or speech therapist. These tests also help practitioners plan treatment and determine how likely recovery is.

• Speech therapy

• Sometimes use of a communication device

Speech therapy Dysarthria helps some people with dysarthria. Speech therapy may involve breathing and muscle exercises and repetition of words or sentences.

If dysarthria is severe, therapists may recommend using a letter or picture board or a computer-based device with a keyboard and message display.

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