Articulatory and Resonance System

Vocabulary flashcards to assist with review of key anatomy, physiology, and pathologies related to the articulatory and resonance systems.

Skull

Consists of 28 bones (29 including hyoid bone); surface anatomy correlates to lobes of the brain.

TMJ

Temporomandibular joint; joins maxilla and mandible and allows jaw to move up/down/rotate/protrude/retract

Maxillae

Upper jaw

Mandible 

Lower jaw bone

Lips (rima oris) - 4 layers of tissue

1. cutaneous (skin)

2. muscular tissue (e.g. orbicularis oris muscle)

3. glandular

4. mucous tissue

Orbicularis oris

Muscle tissue that surrounds the lips; involved in movements of the lips.

Frenula

Anchors of the lips; includes superior and inferior labial frenula.

Superior - attaches to alveolar region and maxilla

Inferior - attaches to mandible 

Philtrum

Septum running from the middle of the nose to Cupid's bow; consists of ridged borders.

Teeth

Adults have 32 teeth, including incisors, canines, premolars, and molars

Children have 20 primary teeth

Occlusion of teeth

Normal alignment of teeth

Maloclussion

Abnormal alignment of teeth (underbite or overbite)

Hard palate

Bony structure at the top of the mouth formed by the fusion of the maxilla and palatine bones.

The anterior is formed by the maxilla, while the posterior is formed by the palatine bones.

Soft palate

Also known as the velum, is a soft area located posterior to the hard palate that plays a crucial role in speech and swallowing by moving up to close off the nasal cavity during the production of certain sounds/swallowing

Velopharyngeal port

Passageway between the nasopharynx and the oropharynx controlled by the soft palate.

Tonsils

Part of the immune system; includes palatine tonsil and adenoids.

The tongue

Made up of mostly muscle tissue, the tongue is divided into the ‘root’ and the ‘body’

The body of the tongue has 4 main areas: the tip, blade, front, and back.

Anchored by the lingual frenulum

4x intrinsic tongue muscles

Muscles that control the shape and position of the tongue, allowing for precise movements involved in speech and swallowing.

1. Superior longitudinal 

2. Transverse

3. Vertical

4. Inferior longitudinal 

(transverse & vertical take up same space)

Innervated by hypoglossal nerve CN XII

4x extrinsic tongue muscles

Muscles that attach the tongue to other structures and control its position.

1. Genioglossus (attaches to mandible)

2. styloglossus (attaches to styloid process of temporal bone)

3. palatoglossus (attaches to palate)

4. hyoglossus (attaches to hyoid bone)

Nasal cavity

The hollow space behind the nose that plays a crucial role in respiration and filtering air. It is split into two by the nasal septum and septal cartilage

Anterior nares - nostrils that open to the outside environment.

Vestibules of the nostrils - space inside nostrils

Nasal conchae - bony structures that create channels within nasal cavity - protection, directing air, filtering

Pharyngeal Cavity 

Made up of…

1. nasopharynx

2. oropharynx

3. laryngopharynx.

It connects the nasal cavity and mouth to the esophagus and plays a key role in both respiratory and digestive systems.

Cleft lip

A congenital condition resulting in an opening or gap in the upper lip, which can occur on one or both sides. It may appear alone or in conjunction with a cleft palate.

Cleft palate

A structural disorder where the hard palate does not fuse properly during gestation.

Micrognathia

A condition characterized by an abnormally small jaw, which can impact feeding and speech.

Hypernasality

Excessive nasal resonance due to inadequate closure of the velopharyngeal port.

Velopharyngeal Incompetence

A condition where the velopharyngeal mechanism fails to close completely during speech, leading to abnormal nasal resonance and speech sound distortion.

Neurologic disorders

Disorders caused by damage to the nervous system, affecting speech and articulation. For example, cranial nerve damage

Dysarthria

Motor speech disorder characterized by muscle weakness and impaired articulation.

Ataxic Dysarthria

Issues with coordination - speech often sounds slurred and irregular

Flaccid Dysarthria

A type of dysarthria caused by weakness or paralysis of the muscles used for speech, leading to breathy or nasal voice quality and difficulty in articulation.

Hypokinetic Dysarthria 

A type of dysarthria often associated with Parkinson's disease, characterized by reduced movement, resulting in a quiet or hushed voice and sometimes rapid speech)

Hyperkinetic Dysarthria 

A type of dysarthria characterized by excessive involuntary movements, leading to unpredictable speech patterns that may be prolonged, distorted, or interrupted.

Mixed dysarthria 

A type of dysarthria that features symptoms of more than one subtype, often resulting from neurological conditions affecting multiple areas of the brain such as MND and MS

Spastic Dysarthria

A type of dysarthria resulting from damage to the upper motor neurons, characterized by increased muscle tone and effortful speech, often sounding harsh, slow, or strained.

Apraxia of speech

A motor speech disorder where the brain has trouble planning and coordinating the muscle movements needed for speech, even though the muscles themselves are physically capable

Cerebral Palsy

Non-progressive disorder caused by CNS injury before/during/shortly after birth that affects speech and motor function. Can see spastic, dyskinetic or ataxic dysarthria symptoms

Down Syndrome

Genetic condition associated with speech differences in articulation and resonance due to many factors such as:

• short, narrow palate

• dental malocclusion 

• reduced muscle tone 

• reduced tongue and lip strength 

• hearing problems 

• and more