What articulation disorder is commonly associated with expressive language breakdown?

Verbal apraxia, also known as childhood apraxia of speech when it occurs in children or acquired apraxia in adults, is characterized by difficulty in planning and coordinating the movements necessary for speech production. This disorder is often associated with expressive language breakdown because individuals with verbal apraxia understand language well but struggle to articulate their thoughts and feelings verbally. Their ability to formulate sentences and convey ideas may be intact, but the physical execution of speech sounds and sequences is impaired, leading to inconsistent speech errors.

In contrast, the other disorders listed have different characteristics. Aphasia is primarily a language disorder that affects comprehension and expression due to brain damage, often linked to strokes or other neurological conditions. Otosclerosis involves the middle ear and impacts hearing, potentially leading to expressive difficulties but not because of a breakdown in language processing. Dysarthria, while also affecting speech production, stems from muscle control issues rather than the cognitive and planning aspects of speech, which are central to verbal apraxia. Therefore, the connection of verbal apraxia with expressive language breakdown makes it the correct choice in this context.