speech dysfunction, any defect or abnormality of the formation of audible and intelligible words, including aphasia, alexia, stammering, stuttering, aphonia, and slurring. Speech problems may result from any of a variety of causes, among them neurological injury to the cerebral cortex; muscular paralysis caused by trauma, disease, or cerebrovascular accident; structural abnormality of the organs of speech; emotional or psychological tension, strain, or depression; hysteria; and severe cognitive impairment. See also speech.
