Mixed Dysarthria

Question 1

What is mixed dysarthria?

Answer 1

disorder of multiple motor systems; virtually any combination of two or more of the single dysarthria types are possible

Question 2

What is the most common type of mixed dysarthria? What neurological condition causes this?

Answer 2

flaccid-spastic dysarthria; ALS

Question 3

What are some speech features of mixed dysarthria (ALS)?

Answer 3

bizzarrness; hoarse (Wet) voice; imprecise consonants; short phrases; distorted vowels; (Very) slow rate

Question 4

What happens in the initial stages of ALS?

Answer 4

limbs are affected first (due to spinal nerve damage), followed by bulbar nerves (i.e., CNs involved in speech and swallowing)

Question 5

What is a major feature of ALS?

Answer 5

weakness

Question 6

What is one detail regarding symptoms of ALS?

Answer 6

flaccid and spastic symptoms may vary; spastic symptoms may become more flaccid over time since symptoms of UMN damage cannot be expressed through the LMNs

Question 7

What are symptoms of UMN damage associated with ALS?

Answer 7

weakness, spasticity, slowness, and hyperreflexia

Question 8

What are symptoms of LMN damage associated with ALS?

Answer 8

reduced reflexes, fasciculations, weakness, and atrophy

Question 9

What is used to rule out other spinal cord disorders and confirm ALS?

Answer 9

MRI

Question 10

What are other speech features of flaccid-spastic dysarthria?

Answer 10

audible inspiration, breathiness, prolonged vowels, harsh tone, monopitch/monoloudness, low pitch; excess and equal stress; hypernasality

Question 11

What is unilateral upper motor neuron dysarthria?

Answer 11

a type of dysarthria not studied as much as the other types; comes due to damage to the MCA or internal capsule; it is mild and transient

Question 12

What are primary speech and speech related findings in UUMN dysarthria?

Answer 12

unilateral lower face weakness, imprecise articulation; slow AMR; slow rate; hypernasality; harshness

Question 13

What are 3 etiologies of mixed dysarthria?

Answer 13

Degenerative disease (e.g., ALS, progressive supranuclear palsy); vascular disease (e.g., many stroke); trauma

Question 14

What is the initial stages of bulbar ALS consist of?

Answer 14

dysphagia, dysarthria, dysphonia

Question 15

What is the initial stages of spinal ALS consist of?

Answer 15

damage to the spinal nerves which affects the limbs