Which dysarthria is characterized by incoordination?

• A. Ataxic dysarthria
• B. Spastic dysarthria
• C. Flaccid dysarthria
• D. Hyperkinetic dysarthria

Answer: (A)

Incoordination points to cerebellar control problems, which is the hallmark of ataxic dysarthria. When the speech muscles aren’t coordinating smoothly, you hear irregular timing and precision: articulatory breakdowns that come and go, distorted vowels, and uneven rhythm or stress across syllables. The voice can sound slightly harsh or tremulous, but the defining feature is the lack of coordinated movement rather than pure weakness, spasticity, or involuntary movements. The other types are tied more to different problem areas—spastic dysarthria to bilateral upper motor neuron weakness with slow, strained speech; flaccid dysarthria to weakness from lower motor neuron damage with breathy or hypernasal voice; hyperkinetic dysarthria to involuntary, irregular movements from basal ganglia dysfunction.