(dis-ar'thrē-ă )

[dys- + Gr. arthroun, to utter distinctly]

Impairment or clumsiness in speaking due to diseases that affect the oral, lingual, or pharyngeal muscles. The patient's speech may be difficult to understand , but there is no evidence of aphasia.

SEE: aphasia.

ataxic d.Scanning speech.

flaccid d.Speech that sounds nasal as a result of weakness of the oral or palatal muscles or a condition that affects the peripheral nerves that control them.

spastic d.Dysarthria that results from an upper motor neuron lesion.