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Journal of the Association For Research... Feb 2022Perhaps the most striking evidence for active processes operating within the inner ears of mammals and non-mammals alike is their ability to spontaneously produce sound.... (Review)
Review
Perhaps the most striking evidence for active processes operating within the inner ears of mammals and non-mammals alike is their ability to spontaneously produce sound. Predicted by Thomas Gold in 1948, some 30 years prior to their discovery, the narrow-band sounds now known as spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) remain incompletely understood, their origins controversial. Without a single equation in the main text, we review the essential concepts underlying the "local-" and "global-oscillator" frameworks for understanding SOAE generation. Comparing their key assumptions and predictions, we relate the two frameworks to unresolved questions about the biophysical mechanisms of cochlear amplification.
Topics: Animals; Cochlea; Mammals; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; Singing; Sound; Vocalization, Animal
PubMed: 34981262
DOI: 10.1007/s10162-021-00829-9 -
International Orthodontics Mar 2021To determine the relationship between AOB and factors such as dental arch dimensions and tongue position during swallowing and phonation.
Anterior open bite and its relationship with dental arch dimensions and tongue position during swallowing and phonation in individuals aged 8-16 years: A retrospective case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between AOB and factors such as dental arch dimensions and tongue position during swallowing and phonation.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A case-control study was performed in two groups: 132 children with Anterior Open Bite (AOB) and 132 with normal vertical overbite (NVO), aged 8-16 years selected from the records taken by a previous study from five public schools. Dental arch dimensions were assessed through digitalized study models. Swallowing was evaluated using the Payne technique, and phoniatric assessment included an adaptation of the articulation test used to describe phonemes.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Chi-Square or Fisher's exact test for comparisons between qualitative variables and the Mann Whitney or T-student were applied to compare the dental arch dimensions according to bite type. A logistic regression model was applied to control the effect of confusion between independent variables and to describe its simultaneous effect on the type of bite.
RESULTS
Intercanine, interpremolar and intermolar widths showed higher values in AOB patients with a mean deviation (MD) of 0.536 (P=0.031), 0.60 (P=0.043) and 1.15, (P<0.001) respectively. Distortions caused by tongue interposition and thrust, tongue protrusion during swallowing, mandibular arch intermolar width, total maxillary arch length, maxillary arch perimeter, and posterior arch depth accounted for 64.6% of AOB and allowed for correct predictions in 83.8% of the cases observed in the study population.
CONCLUSIONS
A significant association between tongue position and function, as well as alterations such as tongue interposition and thrust during swallowing and phonation in individuals with AOB, were observed. There is a relationship between AOB and the presence of a wider mandibular arch and a narrower, longer, and deeper maxillary arch.
Topics: Adolescent; Case-Control Studies; Child; Colombia; Deglutition; Dental Arch; Female; Humans; Male; Malocclusion; Maxilla; Open Bite; Phonation; Retrospective Studies; Schools; Tongue
PubMed: 33518486
DOI: 10.1016/j.ortho.2020.12.005 -
Journal of Biomedical Optics Aug 2023The vocal folds are critically important structures within the larynx which serve the essential functions of supporting the airway, preventing aspiration, and phonation....
SIGNIFICANCE
The vocal folds are critically important structures within the larynx which serve the essential functions of supporting the airway, preventing aspiration, and phonation. The vocal fold mucosa has a unique multilayered architecture whose layers have discrete viscoelastic properties facilitating sound production. Perturbations in these properties lead to voice loss. Currently, vocal fold pliability is inferred clinically using laryngeal videostroboscopy and no tools are available for objective assessment.
AIM
The main objective of the present study is to evaluate viability of Brillouin microspectroscopy for differentiating vocal folds' mechanical properties against surrounding tissues.
APPROACH
We used Brillouin microspectroscopy as an emerging optical imaging modality capable of providing information about local viscoelastic properties of tissues in noninvasive and remote manner.
RESULTS
Brillouin measurements of the porcine larynx vocal folds were performed. Elasticity-driven Brillouin spectral shifts were recorded and analyzed. Elastic properties, as assessed by Brillouin spectroscopy, strongly correlate with those acquired using classical elasticity measurements.
CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate the feasibility of Brillouin spectroscopy for vocal fold imaging. With more extensive research, this technique may provide noninvasive objective assessment of vocal fold mucosal pliability toward objective diagnoses and more targeted treatments.
Topics: Animals; Swine; Vocal Cords; Larynx; Phonation; Elasticity; Spectrum Analysis
PubMed: 37560326
DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.28.8.087002 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jul 2022(1) Objective: Teaching is a particularly voice-demanding occupation. Voice training provided during teachers' education is often insufficient and thus teachers are at...
(1) Objective: Teaching is a particularly voice-demanding occupation. Voice training provided during teachers' education is often insufficient and thus teachers are at risk of developing voice disorders. Vocal demands during teaching are not only characterized by speaking for long durations but also by speaking in noisy environments. This provokes the so-called Lombard effect, which intuitively leads to an increase in voice intensity, pitch and phonation time in laboratory studies. However, this effect has not been thoroughly investigated in realistic teaching scenarios. (2) Methods: This study thus examined how 13 experienced, but vocally untrained, teachers behaved when reading in a noisy compared to quiet background environment. The quiet and noisy conditions were provided by a live audience either listening quietly or making noise by talking to each other. By using a portable voice accumulator, the fundamental frequency, sound pressure level of the voice and the noise as well as the phonation time were recorded in both conditions. (3) Results: The results showed that the teachers mainly responded according to the Lombard effect. In addition, analysis of phonation time revealed that they failed to increase inhalation time and appeared to lose articulation through the shortening of voiceless consonants in the noisy condition. (4) Conclusions: The teachers demonstrated vocally demanding behavior when speaking in the noisy condition, which can lead to vocal fatigue and cause dysphonia. The findings underline the necessity for specific voice training in teachers' education, and the content of such training is discussed in light of the results.
Topics: Humans; Noise; Occupational Diseases; Phonation; Reading; School Teachers; Verbal Behavior; Voice Disorders
PubMed: 35897294
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19158929 -
Scientific Reports May 2023Laryngeal morphotypes have been hypothesized related to both phonation and to laryngeal pathologies. Morphotypes have not been validated or demonstrated quantitatively...
Laryngeal morphotypes have been hypothesized related to both phonation and to laryngeal pathologies. Morphotypes have not been validated or demonstrated quantitatively and sources of shape and size variation are incompletely understood but are critical for the explanation of behavioral changes (e.g., changes of physical properties of a voice) and for therapeutic approaches to the larynx. This is the first study to take this crucial step and results are likely to have implications for surgeons and speech language pathologists. A stratified human sample was interrogated for phenotypic variation of the vocal organ. First, computed tomography image stacks were used to generate three-dimensional reconstructions of the thyroid cartilage. Then cartilage shapes were quantified using multivariate statistical analysis of high dimensional shape data from margins and surfaces of the thyroid cartilage. The effects of sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and body height on size and shape differences were analyzed. We found that sex, age, BMI and the age-sex interaction showed significant effects on the mixed sex sample. Among males, only age showed a strong effect. The thyroid cartilage increased in overall size, and the angulation between left and right lamina decreased in older males. Age, BMI and the age-height interaction were statistically significant factors within females. The angulation between left and right lamina increased in older females and was smaller in females with greater BMI. A cluster analysis confirmed the strong age effect on larynx shape in males and a complex interaction between the age, BMI and height variables in the female sample. The investigation demonstrated that age and BMI, two risk factors in a range of clinical conditions, are associated with shape and size variation of the human larynx. The effects influence shape differently in female and male larynges. The male-female shape dichotomy is partly size-dependent but predominantly size-independent.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Aged; Thyroid Cartilage; Voice; Phonation; Plastic Surgery Procedures; Body Mass Index
PubMed: 37169811
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34347-w -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Jul 2023Learning to speak properly requires a fully formed brain, good eyesight, and a functioning auditory system. Defective phonation is the outcome of a failure in the... (Review)
Review
Learning to speak properly requires a fully formed brain, good eyesight, and a functioning auditory system. Defective phonation is the outcome of a failure in the development of any of the systems or components involved in speech production. Dentures with strong phonetic skills can be fabricated with the help of a dentist who has a firm grasp of speech production and phonetic characteristics. Every dentist strives to perfect their craft by perfecting the balance between the technical, cosmetic, and acoustic aspects of dentistry, or "phonetics". The ideal prosthesis for a patient is one that not only sounds good but also functions well mechanically and aesthetically. Words are spoken by using articulators that alter their size and form. : Therefore, a prosthesis should be made in such a way that it does not interfere with the ability to communicate. As a result, a prosthodontist has to have a solid grasp of how speech is made and the numerous parts that go into it.
Topics: Humans; Speech; Phonetics; Phonation; Learning; Brain
PubMed: 37512133
DOI: 10.3390/medicina59071322 -
Problemy Endokrinologii Jan 2022Dysphonia is a symptom of many endocrine pathologies. Hoarseness, voice fatigue, decrease of the voice pitch, reduce of the range are typical complaints for... (Review)
Review
Dysphonia is a symptom of many endocrine pathologies. Hoarseness, voice fatigue, decrease of the voice pitch, reduce of the range are typical complaints for hypothyroidism, caused by an increased amount of polysaccharides and accumulation of fluid in the lamina propria of the vocal folds. An excess of growth hormone causes an overproduction of insulin-like growth factor-1, which leads to abnormalities in the craniofacial region and proliferation of the upper respiratory tract tissues, including thickening of the laryngeal cartilages, vocal folds and decreasing of the voice pitch. Hyperglycemia, changes in the balance of fluid and electrolytes in diabetes mellitus can indirectly affect the voice: xerostomia complicates phonation due to impaired hydration of the laryngeal mucosa, diabetic neuropathy often disrupts the work of the laryngeal muscles involved in voice formation. Voice changes are observed not only in endocrine disorders, but also during puberty, the phases of the menstrual cycle and during menopause. Laryngeal structures are modified under the influence of hormones and external factors, which generally changes pitch and intensity of the voice, timbre and resonance, articulation and prosodic characteristics. The purpose of this review is to summarize and systematize data on physiological and pathological voice changes in patients of different age groups and sex. The possibilities of a multidisciplinary approach to rational voice correction are demonstrated.
Topics: Dysphonia; Endocrine System Diseases; Female; Hoarseness; Humans; Laryngeal Muscles; Phonation; Voice
PubMed: 35488756
DOI: 10.14341/probl12822 -
Journal of Voice : Official Journal of... Jul 2023Caffeine is considered a dehydrating agent due to its diuretic effects and influences the body's fluid balance. The relationship between voice and hydration has been...
BACKGROUND
Caffeine is considered a dehydrating agent due to its diuretic effects and influences the body's fluid balance. The relationship between voice and hydration has been widely investigated and it is accepted that inadequate hydration has detrimental effects on phonation. Since dehydration negatively affects the vocal folds and caffeine is considered a dehydrating agent, it can be hypothesized that voice might be negatively affected by caffeine intake. This systematic review aims to summarize and appraise the available evidence regarding the effects of caffeine on voice.
METHODS
Randomized and non-randomized experimental studies of healthy participants were retrieved following an electronic searching of six databases in June 2020. No publication, language or date restrictions were applied. Data extraction of relevant data and risk of bias assessment was conducted independently by two reviewers.
RESULTS
Five non-randomized experimental studies were deemed eligible for inclusion. The format of the administered interventions in the included studies was either liquid (coffee) or solid (caffeine tablets). Reported outcome measures used to examine the effects of caffeine on phonation consisted of acoustic, aerodynamic and (auditory & self-) perceptual. No measures were adversely affected by caffeine consumption.
CONCLUSION
Clinicians commonly advise patients to refrain from caffeine, as caffeine intake increases diuresis with subsequent effects on fluid balance. Such imbalances can potentially induce dehydration which can be detrimental to phonation. This notion cannot be supported empirically, as the evidence is deemed unreliable and no firm conclusions can be elicited to guide clinical practice. The results of this review demonstrate the lack of research in the field and the necessity for future investigations in order to inform evidence-based practice through reliable and valid outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Caffeine; Voice Quality; Dehydration; Voice; Phonation; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 33752928
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.02.025 -
American Journal of Speech-language... Aug 2019Purpose The purpose of this clinical focus article is to describe the frequency, indications, and outcomes of fenestrated tracheostomy tube use in a large academic...
Purpose The purpose of this clinical focus article is to describe the frequency, indications, and outcomes of fenestrated tracheostomy tube use in a large academic institution. Method A retrospective chart review was conducted to evaluate the use of fenestrated tracheostomy tubes between 2007 and 2017. Patients were included in the study if they were ≥ 18 years of age and received a fenestrated tracheostomy tube in the recent 10-year period. Results Of 2,000 patients who received a tracheostomy, 15 patients had a fenestrated tracheostomy tube; however, only 5 patients received a fenestrated tracheostomy tube at the study institution. The primary reason why the 15 patients received a tracheostomy was chronic respiratory failure (73%); other reasons included airway obstruction (20%) and airway protection (7%). Thirteen (87%) patients received a fenestrated tracheostomy tube for phonation purposes. The remaining 2 patients received it as a step to weaning. Of the 13 patients who received a fenestrated tracheostomy tube for phonation, only 1 patient was not able to phonate. Nine (60%) patients developed some type of complications: granulation only, 2 (13.3%); granulation and tracheomalacia, 2 (13.3%); granulation and stenosis, 4 (26.7%); and granulation, tracheomalacia, and stenosis, 1 (6.7%). Conclusions Fenestrated tracheostomy tubes may assist with phonation in patients who cannot tolerate a 1-way speaking valve; however, the risk of developing granulation tissue, tracheomalacia, and tracheal stenosis exists. Health care providers should be educated on the safe use of a fenestrated tracheostomy tube and other options available to improve phonation while ensuring patient safety.
Topics: Adult; Airway Obstruction; Chronic Disease; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Respiratory Insufficiency; Retrospective Studies; Tracheostomy; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31318610
DOI: 10.1044/2019_AJSLP-18-0187 -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2023Recently, increased attention to breathing techniques during exercise has addressed the need for more in-depth study of the ergogenic effects of breathing manipulation....
Recently, increased attention to breathing techniques during exercise has addressed the need for more in-depth study of the ergogenic effects of breathing manipulation. The physiological effects of phonation, as a potential breathing tool, have not yet been studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the respiratory, metabolic and hemodynamic responses of phonated exhalation and its impact on locomotor-respiratory entrainment in young healthy adults during moderate exercise. Twenty-six young, healthy participants were subjected to peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements and a moderate steady cycling protocol based on three different breathing patterns (BrP): spontaneous breathing (BrP1), phonated breathing pronouncing "h" (BrP2) and phonated breathing pronouncing "ss" (BrP3). The heart rate, arterial blood pressure, oxygen consumption, CO production, respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (VT), respiratory exchange ratio and ventilatory equivalents for both important respiratory gasses (eqO and eqCO) were measured (Cosmed, Italy) simultaneously during a short period of moderate stationary cycling at a predefined cadence. To evaluate the psychological outcomes, the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was recorded after each cycling protocol. The locomotor-respiratory frequency coupling was calculated at each BrP, and dominant coupling was determined. Phonation gradually decreased the PEF (388 ± 54 L/min at BrP2 and 234 ± 54 L/min at BrP3 compared to 455 ± 42 L/min upon spontaneous breathing) and affected the RR (18.8 ± 5.0 min at BrP2 compared to 22.6 ± 5.5 min at BrP1 and 21.3 ± 7.2 min at BrP3), VT (2.33 ± 0.53 L at BrP2 compared to 1.86 ± 0.46 L at BrP1 and 2.00 ± 0.45 L at BrP3), dominant locomotor-respiratory coupling (1:4 at BrP2 compared to 1:3 at BrP1 and BrP2) and RPE (10.27 ± 2.00 at BrP1 compared to 11.95 ± 1.79 at BrP1 and 11.95 ± 1.01 at BrP3) but not any other respiratory, metabolic or hemodynamic measures of the healthy adults during moderate cycling. The ventilatory efficiency was shown to improve upon dominant locomotor-respiratory coupling, regardless of BrP (eqO = 21.8 ± 2.2 and eqCO = 24.0 ± 1.9), compared to the other entrainment coupling regimes (25.3 ± 1.9, 27.3 ± 1.7) and no entrainment (24.8 ± 1.5, 26.5 ± 1.3), respectively. No interaction between phonated breathing and entrainment was observed during moderate cycling. We showed, for the first time, that phonation can be used as a simple tool to manipulate expiratory flow. Furthermore, our results indicated that in young healthy adults, entrainment, rather than expiratory resistance, preferentially affected ergogenic enhancement upon moderate stationary cycling. It can only be speculated that phonation would be a good strategy to increase exercise tolerance among COPD patients or to boost the respiratory efficiency of healthy people at higher exercise loads.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Respiratory Rate; Respiration; Lung; Exercise; Respiratory Function Tests
PubMed: 36833534
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20042838