MENTAL STATUS: MEDIA RESOURCES
Spastic Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a disorder of the production of speech while language is intact. Expressive language is intact for this patient but he has a spastic dysarthria caused by bilateral upper motor neuron disease. His speech is low pitched, strained, and harsh. The rate is slow and deliberate.
Flaccid (LMN) Dysarthria
This patient has a soft, muffled voice, which is hypernasalized and breathy. This type of dysarthria is from a lower motor neuron lesion.
Dystonic Dysarthria
This patient has a tight, high-pitched strained voice. She can’t articulate the words because she can’t get her mouth, tongue, lips and palate to move. She also has trouble swallowing because of the dystonia.
Spasmodic Dysphonia
The patient has a harsh tight voice, which is caused from spasm of the vocal cords. This type of dysphonia is felt to be a type of focal dystonia.