Speech symptoms

Dysarthria

Dysarthria (slurred speech) is a characteristic aura symptoms of basilar-type migraine (Bickerstaff, 1961), a subtype of migraine with aura in the IHS classification. For a diagnosis of basilar-type migraine, the migraine sufferer must meet the general criteria for migraine with aura and have two or more of the following symptoms: dysarthria, vertigo, tinnitus, hypacusia, double vision, bilateral visual symptoms, ataxia, decreased level of consciousness, simultaneously bilateral paraesthesias.

"I have recently started suffering from migraines... My very first was at work on 4th June this year. It was so bad that an ambulance was called and I was taken off to hospital. First I got very hot, then I couldn't concentrate properly. I was talking to a colleague and then just suddenly dropped my pen and started shaking. I couldn't breathe too well and had to sit down on the floor. My hands felt like they were vibrating, and I felt dizzy. I couldn't stand up and my speech was slurred. I was taken off to the medical room for a lie down, but things got worse. I developed a headache and couldn't focus properly. I tried to stand up but just kept falling over, as though as I was drunk. I was taken off to Casualty (the ER), and told I had had a bad migraine."

(Dean Garraghty, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, Subject: New migraine sufferer, June 21, 1998)

"My wife has experienced slurred speech, confusion, unsteady gait, on occassion and all tests (mri's, cat's, brain spect's) show nothing unusual. She has had migraines in the past but these symptons are not associated with a headache when they happen. Her neurologist says this could be atypical migraines."

(Brent, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, Subject: Slurred speech, confusion..but no headache...is this a migraine?, September 8, 2000)

"I get slurred speech and confusion and fuzzy thinking with a migraine."

(Elaine Gallant, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, Subject: Slurred speech, confusion..but no headache...is this a migraine?, September 8, 2000)

"My migraine follows a very specific pathology... Sometimes, my face goes numb on one side, and my speech gets slurred, almost like I'm drunk."

(Melinda Milford, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, Subject: (a long one) Just need to know if some things are normal..., February 12, 2002)

"... a basilar migraine ... for me it is slurred speech, falling, staggering, and memory loss... The scariest part of these is the fact that you don't usually recognize it as a migraine while it is happening (my husband has learned to recognize the symptoms and tell me to take my medicine). You can be accused of being drunk -- I was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving one time when the migraine came on while I was driving. I asked to do the breathalyzer, which of course read zero. I *did* get a ticket for reckless driving, though."

(Elizabeth Bonello, Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles.needlework, Subject: OT Migraines, May 28, 2003)

"I often begin to have slurred speech and dizziness for about two days before I get a migraine. I guess I should be glad to have the forewarning, but I have never heard of the symptoms starting that far in advance.The slurred speech and dizziness seem to be getting more intense in the last year, but it is a good tool for predicting my migraines. Is this common for migraine sufferers?"

(Paula S, Email to Klaus Podoll, July 26, 2007)

Stuttering

"Stuttering is an abnormality in the fluency of speech, which is characterized by interruption of the normal rhythm due to involuntary repetition and prolongation, or arrest, of uttered letters or syllables. The aphasic syndrome and dysarthria can be associated with classic migraine, but, to our knowledge, no study has so far described stuttering as the only neurological symptom accompanying an attack."

(Perino et al., Acquired transient stuttering during a migraine attack, Headache 2000; 40: 170-172)

"I have trouble communicating depending on which side the migraine is on (right) and the severity. My husband can tell from my speech. I'm not sure if it is as noticeable to those who don't know me but I feel like I'm stuttering or not forming words properly. I get a panicy feeling as I know what I want to say but can't put into words."

(Kadee, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, Subject: migraine speech problems, October 8, 1998)

"Do you end up stuttering when you try to speak also and whisper?"

(RDB, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, Subject: migraine speech problems, November 28, 1998)

"even my thoughts stutter!"

(Jin Jan, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, Subject: migraine speech problems, November 28, 1998)

Fully reversible dysphasic speech disturbance in hemiplegic migraine

Familial and sporadic hemiplegic migraine are characterized by recurring auras consisting of fully reversible motor weakness and fully reversible visual, sensory or dysphasic speech symtoms.

"I have been trying to figure out what areas are involved in my migraines. They have often had a very obvious right visual field upper/mid quadrant visual aura, so I have assumed that the origin is left temporal lobe. I usually get numbness of the left side of my face, and weakness on the left side of my tounge. On a few severe occassions I had hemiparesis and was unresponsive to reflex testing on my left arm and leg. I'm a neuroscientist and am frustrated that I don't know what is going on in my brain. What I find strangest is that I will often have an aphasia in which I can form words in my brain, can write or use sign language fluently, but cannot speak without EXTREME effort, and then only haltingly. This doesn't seem to match the Broca's or Wernicke's aphasias; is it possible that the language area itself isn't affected, but only its connection to verbal motor regions??? On a personal note, it has caused bad feelings when I don't respond to people, but my family now knows that if I stand there bobbing my head with my mouth shut, something is probably going on. - In fact, my migraines are probably familial hemiplegic, as my mom has very similar symptoms, including confusion, facial numbness and left side hemiplegia. She does not, however, appear to have speech or language disturbances."

(Amber Buhler, Email to Klaus Podoll, July 26, 2005)

References

Bickerstaff ER. Basilar artery migraine. Lancet 1961; 1: 15-17.
Perino M, Famularo G, Tarroni P. Acquired transient stuttering during a migraine attack. Headache 2000; 40: 170-172.

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