Dysarthria Differential Diagnosis

The differential diagnosis for dysarthria can be organized into the following categories:

• Single Most Likely Diagnosis
  • Stroke or cerebral vasculature accident (CVA): This is the most common cause of acute onset dysarthria, resulting from damage to the brain's motor control areas, such as the corticobulbar tract or cerebellum.
• Other Likely Diagnoses
  • Parkinson's disease: A neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor control, leading to dysarthria, tremors, and rigidity.
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): A progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons, causing dysarthria, muscle weakness, and atrophy.
  • Cerebral palsy: A group of disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and coordination, often causing dysarthria.
  • Traumatic brain injury: Head trauma can cause damage to the brain's motor control areas, leading to dysarthria.
• Do Not Miss Diagnoses
  • Brain tumor: A tumor in the brain can compress or invade motor control areas, causing dysarthria.
  • Multiple sclerosis: A chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, leading to dysarthria, vision problems, and muscle weakness.
  • Myasthenia gravis: A neuromuscular disorder that causes muscle weakness and fatigue, including dysarthria.
  • Botulism: A rare but potentially life-threatening illness caused by a toxin that affects the nervous system, leading to dysarthria, muscle weakness, and respiratory failure.
• Rare Diagnoses
  • Huntington's disease: A rare genetic disorder that causes progressive damage to the brain, leading to dysarthria, chorea, and cognitive decline.
  • Spinocerebellar ataxia: A group of rare genetic disorders that affect the cerebellum, causing dysarthria, ataxia, and other motor symptoms.
  • Wilson's disease: A rare genetic disorder that causes copper accumulation in the brain, leading to dysarthria, tremors, and other neurological symptoms.
  • Progressive supranuclear palsy: A rare neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor control, leading to dysarthria, difficulty with eye movements, and postural instability.