Etymed
dysarthria
Definition
A motor speech disorder characterized by difficulty in articulating words due to weakness or poor coordination of the muscles used for speech
Clinical context
A 68-year-old man presents with progressive difficulty speaking clearly over the past 3 months. His speech is slurred and difficult to understand, but he has normal comprehension and can read aloud without difficulty. On examination, he has bilateral tongue fasciculations and dysmetria on finger-to-nose testing.
Mnemonic
Dysarthria = 'Dys' (difficult) + 'arthria' (speech) = Difficulty speaking due to muscle weakness