Dysarthria is a neurogenic disorder of speech caused by damage to the cranial nerves or areas of the brain that are important for speech, in which the areas of breathing, vocalization, articulation and speech melody (prosody) can be affected. Dysarthria can be caused by a stroke, traumatic brain injury or neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or Huntington's chorea, as well as tumors or cerebral hemorrhages. The brain damage disrupts the execution of important speech processes, even though the muscles and organs involved in speech are intact.

Dysarthria can occur in various forms. It can lead to muscle weakness, a slowing of speech movements, impaired coordination of speech movements or a change in muscle tension. The affected person's speech is slowed down with slurred pronunciation and often a hoarse voice. What is said sounds monotonous and choppy if breathing is impaired. If the symptoms lead to a complete inability to speak, this is referred to as anarthria.