Oral diadochokinesis and velocity of narrative speech: A prognostic parameter for the outcome of diffuse axonal injury in severe head trauma

Abstract

Aim: To investigate dysarthria in severe traumatic brain injury following an acceleration/deceleration trauma and to correlate results with the severity of head trauma.

Methods: Oral diadochokinesis by testing alternating (/pa/, /ta/and/ka/) and sequential motion rates (/pataka/and/tana/) and contextual speech, which comprises narrative speech and text reading, were examined in 15 patients in the chronic stage after severe closed head trauma with diffuse axonal injury. A possible influence of the severity of brain injury, expressed by the duration of post-traumatic amnesia, was examined.

Results: Oral diadochokinesis of alternating motion rates and velocity of narrative speech were significantly reduced in traumatic brain injury. Both parameters correlated highly significantly with each other and correlated with the severity of brain injury described by the duration of post-traumatic amnesia. Reading speed was not comparable with narrative speech. Reading speed did not correlate with diffuse axonal injury but was strongly influenced by parameters that also influenced mental abilities.

Conclusion: Oral diadochokinetic abilities of alternating motion rates and velocity of narrative speech represent a possible additional prognostic parameter for the outcome of traumatic brain injury in diffuse axonal injury.

• Traumatic brain injury
• dysarthria
• oral diadochokinesis
• diffuse axonal injury