Flaccid Dysarthria

Question 1

Hallmark of flaccid dysarthria

Answer 1

Weakness

Question 2

Overarching cause of flaccid dysarthria

Answer 2

Injury or malfunction of 1+ cranial or spinal nerves

Can be sub-typed based on unilateral or bilateral damage and damage to one or more than one nerve

Question 3

Distinguishing signs of LMN damage (3)

Answer 3

Weakness isolated to specific muscle groups

Reflexive and voluntary movements are equally affected

Atrophy/fasciculations/fibrillations

Question 4

UMN v. LMN in facial nerve

Answer 4

LMN damage to CN VII affects both the upper and lower face and is ipsilateral to the lesion

UMN damage to CN VII affects only the lower quadrant of the affected side and is contralateral to the lesion

Question 5

Symptoms of flaccid dysarthria can include

Answer 5

Resonance: hypernasality, nasal emission, short phrases
Artic: Imprecise consonants, slurring of speech
Phonatory/prosody: Harsh vocal quality, monoloudness, monopitch, breathiness, audible inspiration, stridor

Question 6

LMN damage to CN V

Answer 6

Jaw deviates to weak side when open (unilateral)

Jaw hangs open (bilateral)

Question 7

LMN damage to CN IX

Answer 7

Difficulty swallowing
Impaired taste for posterior 1/3 and palate
Rarely damaged in isolation (usually with CN X)

Question 8

LMN damage to CN X

Answer 8

Droop on weak side of palate
Decreased gag reflex
Palate pulls to strong side with /a/ (unilateral) or does not move (bilateral)

Question 9

LMN damage to CN XII

Answer 9

Isolated tongue weakness resulting in consonant and vowel distortion

Question 10

Neuromusclar deficits (direction, range, rhythm, rate, force, tone)

Answer 10

Direction: Normal
Range: reduced/repetitive
Rhythm: regular for repetitive movements, slow for individual movements
Rate: reduced
Force: reduced
Tone: reduced

Question 11

Myasethenia Gravis

Answer 11

Autoimmune disease located at the neuromusclar junction; involves rapid weakening of voluntary muscles that improves with rest

Symptoms: Ptosis, dysphagia, dysarthria, dysphonia

Question 12

Eaton-Lambert

Answer 12

A neuromusclar disorder caused by inadequate ACh. Signs include weak initation.

Question 13

Wallenbeg’s LMS

Answer 13

Vacular disease located in the lateral medulla. Signs include sensory loss for ipsilateral for face and contralateral for body

Question 14

Polio

Answer 14

An infection of the dorsal medulla and spine; can be seen in dysphagia or dysarthria

Question 15

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Answer 15

Name: Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Locus: Ascending weakness, PNS then CNS
Patho: Demyelinating; viral (cause unknown)
Effect: Weakness in limbs, thorax, pharynx, oral
Signs: Dysarthria, dysphagia

Question 16

Muscular Dystrophy

Answer 16

Name: Muscular dystrophy
Locus: Muscle fibers
Patho: Genetic, degenerative
Effect: Weakness
Signs:dysarthria, dysphagia

Question 17

Progressive Bulbar Palsy and ALS

Answer 17

Degenerative diseases that can affect both the LMN and UMN. PBP is cranial nerves only while ALS is crania and spinal nerves.