Lecture 5: Flaccid Dys.

Question 1

flaccid dysarthria is primarily due to this type of damage

Answer 1

lower motor neuron (LMN) damage

Question 2

what is the primary neuromuscular characteristic underlying flaccid dysarthria?

Answer 2

weakness

Question 3

which speech subsystems (at least one) are impaired due to flaccid dysarthria?

Answer 3

respiration
phonation
resonance
articulation

Question 4

a MILD flaccid dysarthria is primarily due to this type of damage

Answer 4

unilateral lower motor neuron (ULMN) damage

Question 5

general damage to CN X, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 5

impaired phonation and resonance

Question 6

damage to CN XII, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 6

impaired articulation; having to do with lingual weakness

Question 7

in flaccid dysarthria, signs are (ipsilateral / contralateral) to the lesion location

Answer 7

ipsilateral; e.g. a left recurrent laryngeal nerve lesion would result in a left true vocal cord paresis / paralysis

Question 8

confirmatory signs of flaccid dysarthria (5)

Answer 8

weakness
hypotonia
diminished reflexes
atrophy
fasciculations / fibrillations

Question 9

unilateral lower facial weakness is primarily due to this type of damage

Answer 9

unilateral upper motor neuron (UUMN) damage

Question 10

damage to CN V, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 10

imprecise articulation (if damage is bilateral); slow rate of speech

Question 11

damage to CN VII, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 11

reduced precision esp. if weakness is bilateral and severe (distortions / inability to produce sounds relating to the lips); fluttering cheeks; visible facial weakness

Question 12

damage to CN IX, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 12

relating to pharyngeal elevation, BUT indeterminate for practical purposes

Question 13

pharyngeal branch damage to CN X, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 13

if unilateral, mild
if bilateral: hyper nasality / nasal emissions; reduced intraoral pressure; reduced loudness; reduced phrase length; facial grimace

Question 14

below pharyngeal branch (but including superior and recurrent laryngeal branches) damage to CN X, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 14

if unilateral: breathiness; hoarseness; reduced loudness; diplophonia; reduced pitch / pitch breaks; much inhalation; blurred voicing of consonants
if bilateral; same symptoms but exaggerated

Question 15

superior laryngeal nerve damage to CN X, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 15

if unilateral, mild

if bilateral: breathiness; hoarseness; reduced loudness; reduced ability to alter pitch

Question 16

recurrent laryngeal nerve damage to CN X, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 16

if unilateral: breathiness; hoarseness; reduced loudness

if bilateral: inhalators stridor; airway compromise*

Question 17

damage to CN XI, flaccid dysarthria

Answer 17

speech is unaffected

non speech: significant shoulder weakness