Dysarthria is defined as which of the following?

• A. Inability to swallow
• B. Muscle tremor
• C. Worsening ability to speak
• D. Loss of vision

Answer: (C)

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder caused by impaired control of the muscles used for speaking—lips, tongue, jaw, palate, and vocal cords—leading to slurred, slowed, or otherwise unclear speech. The option that best fits this is the one describing a worsening ability to speak, since it directly reflects the impaired articulation and phonation that define dysarthria. Inability to swallow describes dysphagia, not dysarthria. Muscle tremor can occur in some conditions but is not the definition of dysarthria. Loss of vision is unrelated to speech motor control. Dysarthria can be present with various neurological conditions and affect intelligibility rather than language content.