Dysarthria from a Neurological Point of View

—Disorder of speech due to a lesion around Broca's area—

Abstract

We proposed a definition and a classification of dysarthria from neurological point of view. It attempted to correlate the symptomatology and the lesions of 8 cases. CT scan and MRI findings revealed the circumscribed infarction around Broca's area (pars triangularis and pars opercularis of the left inferior frontal gyrus) in these cases. (1) All 8 cases exhibited various degree of dysarthria due to different lesions. (2) The characteristics of dysarthria of these cases varied and did not correspond with the site of lesions. (3) Cases who had a lesion in the left inferior precentral gyrus which is posterior of Broca's area showed clear long lasting dysarthria. (4) Cases whose lesions extended from the left inferior precental gyrus to Broca's area had long lasting aphasic symptoms.