Relationships between dysarthria, lesion location, and oral/swallowing function in patients with first-ever stroke

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Dysarthria significantly impairs quality of life and social interaction.
• Acute stroke is a common cause of new-onset dysarthria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between lesion location and oral/swallowing function in acute stroke patients with dysarthria.
• To identify risk factors for dysarthria in this population.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 82 acute stroke patients using speech assessments (diadochokinesis, reading aloud), head MRI, videofluoroscopic (VF) swallowing examinations, and tongue pressure measurements.
• Identification of stroke lesions and correlation with dysarthria diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Dysarthria was diagnosed in 19.5% of patients.
• Significant risk factors for dysarthria included higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and lesions in the corona radiata.
• Lower tongue pressure (cutoff 28.4 kPa) was associated with dysarthria, but VF swallowing assessments showed no significant differences.

Conclusions:

• Lesions in the corona radiata are a key predictor of dysarthria in stroke patients.
• Reduced tongue pressure is linked to dysarthria, highlighting the need for independent assessment of speech and swallowing functions.