Dysarthria is a disorder of speech (speech is the process of pronunciation and articulation). After a brain injury (such as stroke, or a progressive neurological condition such as Parkinson's Disease or Huntington's Disease), the muscles of the mouth, face, voice box and respiratory system may become weak, move slowly or move differently, or not move at all. The speech condition that results is called dysarthria.

The type and severity of dysarthria depends on the type of brain damage. Symptoms of dysarthria may include slurred sounding speech, a slow rate of speech, breathiness, drooling or poor control of saliva, and limited tongue, lip, and jaw movement.