Voice Dysfunction in Neurological Disorders: Highlights

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Key Glossary Terms

Neurological Voice Disorders
Voice problems caused by abnormal control, coordination, or strength of voice box muscles due to an underlying neurological disease such as: stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, or ALS

Dysarthria
Difficulty forming words – presenting with imprecise consonants and hard-to-understand speech as seen with stroke patients

Speech Disorder
Malfunction of the tongue and/or lip muscles resulting in garbled words or parts or words.

Glossary

Voice disturbance can be the first sign of a neurological disease.

Although a change in voice can be the primary component of a neurological disease, other accompanying signs and symptoms are usually present as well.

Neurological voice problems are primarily diagnosed via patient history and physical examination.

Usually, there is no specific cure for the underlying neurological disease; treatment is typically aimed at minimizing symptoms and improving function. Treatment may involve care from a speech-language pathologist and an otolaryngologist.

As patients' life expectancy and prognoses from the neurological disease improve, quality of life issues such as voice and communication become more important problems to address.

Red Flag

Any and all airway problems require immediate attention.