Types of Dysarthria Flashcards
Key characteristic of Flaccid dysarthria
Weakness
Lower motor neuron damage (in cranial nerves or spinal nerves) causes what type of dysarthria
Flaccid
What is the final common pathway?
It refers to the final pair of nerves that a neural impulse travels through from the upper motor neurons before it reaches the muscles
This is affected in flaccid dysarthria
Damage to part of the Peripheral nervous system will cause…
Flaccid dysarthria
What main three speech systems are affected in flaccid
Weak resonance muscles
Weak phonation muscles
Weak articulation muscles
What are 6 conditions/ characteristics associated with flaccid
- Muscle paralysis or weakness
- Hypotonicity
- Muscle atrophy
- Hypoactive reflexes
- Diplophonia
- Inhalatory stridor
Thinking of the three main speech systems affected, what are main characteristics of flaccid dysarthria symptoms
-Reduced VP closure causing marked degrees of hypernasality
-Weak VF vibration and increased amounts of air escaping, causing harsh voice quality
-Reduced articulatory contact, causing slow and labored speech
What is the cause of damage that results in flaccid dysarthria
Any disorder disrupting the flow of neural impulses along the lower motor neurons that innervate muscles of respiration, phonation, resonance, articulation, or prosody
What are 5 common causes that result in flaccid
- Physical trauma
- Brainstem stroke
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome
- Polio
What additional, less common causes can result in flaccid
- Tumors in or near brainstem
- Muscular dystrophy due to muscle tissue dying
- Progressive bulbar palsy
What dysarthria is associated with hypoactive oral reflexes & what does that mean?
Flaccid
Diminished or absent oral reflexes (i.e., absent gag reflex)
What is hypotonicity
Reduced muscle tone
Identify the types of physical trauma categories
Surgical injury- accidentally cutting cranial nerve, especially during: Carotid endarectomy, cardiac surgery, removal of head or neck tumors, & dental surgery
or
Head and neck injury (i.e., fall, blow to head, motor vehicle injury)
What is another word for a brainstem stroke?
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
What is a brainstem stroke
interruption of blood flow to the brain as an artery breaks or is blocked
Can a single brainstem stroke cause damage to more than one cranial nerve?
Yes, a single brainstem stroke can damage 1+ nerves, with degree of impairment depending on the number of LMN’s lost
What is myasthenia gravis
A chronic autoimmune disorder affecting the neuromuscular junction/involuntary movements, especially of the upper structures, due to antibodies blocking or damaging the muscle tissue
Symptoms of myasthenia gravis
-rapid fatigue of muscular contraction over short time, with recovery after rest
-hypernasality
-decreased loudness
-breathy voice quality
-decreased articulatory precision
How could you assess for myasthenia gravis
Stress test (take a deep breath and count to 100 as rapidly, steady as you can)
reading a lengthy paragraph
How is myasthenia gravis treated?
Temporarily treated with injection of Tensilon (edrophonium chloride)
What is guillain barre syndrome
Demyelization, which often occurs after certain types of injections and immunizations
What are 2 symptoms of Guillain barre syndrome
Flaccid dysarthria
Dysphagia
What is the typical recovery of Guillain Barre syndrome?
High recovery rate, lasting weeks or months
5% die in acute stages
What is polio
Infectious, viral disease that attacks cell bodies of lower motor neurons
Commonly affects the cervical and thoracic spinal nerves
Can also affect cranial nerves