Blurb:

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder caused by neurological injury. Compromised or impaired motor control – whether due to muscle weakness, paralysis, paresis, or lack of coordination – of one or more of the speech subsystems results in speech difficulties. The symptoms and characteristics of the various dysarthrias vary widely by classification and even between individuals with the same type of dysarthria. The studies presented here show the myriad of ways speech can be affected by dysarthria and possibilities for looking at and analyzing a speech disorder that is so varied in its presentation in a way that both captures the complexity and most pertinent features in a clinically useful manner.

In the remainder of this chapter we will present summaries of the three investigations described in this book. From there we will consider the broader implications of these studies on work in dysarthria and in phonetics and the interaction between these two fields. We conclude with a look towards future directions in clinical phonetics and dysarthria research.