Slurred Speech

About the Symptom

Slurred speech (dysarthria) is a general term that describes difficulty in pronouncing words, which can sound like mumbling, muttering, or speaking in a breathy or hoarse voice. Dysarthria is typically due to weakness or lack of coordination of the muscles that control parts of the face that are involved in producing speech (tongue, cheek, lips, or voice box). Dysarthria can be caused by destructive processes such as stroke, brain tumors, or brain trauma, as well as as Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, or myasthenia gravis. In other cases, dysarthria may be caused by intoxication with drugs or alcohol, lack of teeth (dentition), or poor fitting dentures.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Slurred speech

Possible Causes

Generally, Slurred speech can be related to:

• Cerebellar Tumor

  These tumors are tumor found in the cerebellum, which is located in the back of the brain. They can cause increased intracranial pressure and headache, and difficulties with balance or coordination. They can arise from brain cells or they may have spread from a tumor found in another part of the body.

• Subacute Cerebellar Degeneration

  Subacute cerebellar degeneration (SCD) is characterized by loss of brain cells from the cerebellum, which controls balance and coordination of movements. SCD can be caused by inherited genetic mutations, alcohol abuse, vitamin deficiencies, certain brain infections, brain tumors, or autoimmune disorders such as mutiple sclerosis, celiac disease, Sjogren syndrome, and paraneoplastic syndromes, which are rare, abnormal immune responses to cancerous tumors.

• Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy

  Olive bridge cerebellar atrophy, also known as Olivopontocerebellar atrophy, is the degeneration of neurons in specific areas of the brain like the cerebellum, pons, and inferior olivary nucleus. It is a hereditary condition.

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Progressive Subcortical Vascular Encephalopathy
• Sydenham Chorea

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Slurred speech may be related to these serious diseases:

• Cerebellar Hemorrhage / Infarction

  Cerebellar hemorrhage/infarction, or cerebellar stroke, is a type of stroke that affects the posterior part of the brain, specifically the cerebellum. This leads to deficits in motor and balance control. It can be caused by trauma, rupture of blood vessels in the brain due to high blood pressure or small vessel disease, and is more common in middle-aged and older individuals.

• Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
• Alcohol Poisoning
• Vertebral Artery Dissection

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Are you having difficulty speaking clearly?
• When did you first notice the difficulty speaking clearly?
• How has your difficulty speaking clearly changed over time?

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• Ambrosi D, Lee YT. Rehabilitation of swallowing disorders. In: Cifu DX, ed. Braddom's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3.

• Kirshner HS. Dysarthria and apraxia of speech. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 14.