Which of the following may contribute to the development of flaccid dysarthria?

Flaccid dysarthria is a speech disorder characterized by weakness and reduced muscle tone, which can lead to difficulties in articulation, resonance, and phonation. This type of dysarthria arises from issues at or below the level of the brainstem, particularly involving lower motor neurons.

One primary contributor to flaccid dysarthria is a disease affecting the neuromuscular junction, such as myasthenia gravis. In such conditions, the communication between nerves and muscles is impaired, leading to weakness in the muscles responsible for speech production. This results in the hallmark features of flaccid dysarthria, such as breathiness, reduced loudness, and imprecision in articulation.

While certain other options can lead to speech disorders, they typically manifest in different types of dysarthria or other communication disorders. For example, demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis primarily affect the central nervous system and are more associated with spastic or ataxic dysarthria rather than flaccid dysarthria. Tumors can lead to various motor symptoms depending on their location, but they do not specifically point to the characteristic weakness seen in flaccid dysarthria. Motor neuron diseases can definitely result in speech issues, but they may