Anarthria

A severe motor speech disorder characterized by complete or near-complete loss of the ability to produce speech due to muscle weakness or paralysis affecting the articulatory organs (tongue, lips, palate, larynx). Unlike aphasia, which affects language processing, anarthria specifically impacts the physical production of speech while leaving language comprehension intact. People with anarthria often rely on AAC systems for communication. The condition commonly results from stroke, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, or progressive neurological conditions like ALS.