[Dysphagia] alcoholism

[Drirenect at aol.com (Drirenect@aol.com)]

Chronic abuse of alcohol has long term effects on the cerebellum including  
the pons that contains several of the cranial nerve roots essential for  
swallowing. Cerebellar (ataxic) dysarthria is the only type that can  legitimately 
be referred to as "slurred speech" as it is, in its purest form,  
indistinguishable from speech in intoxication. Patients with inherited ataxic  disorders 
such as SCA, Machado-Joseph etc. are often mistaken for being drunk -  and all 
hae significant swallowing impairments. If the patient has progressed to  
alcoholic dementia, a further problem is added.