Quantifying vocal fatigue recovery: dynamic vocal recovery trajectories after a vocal loading exercise.
(18/39)
OBJECTIVES: We quantified the recovery of voice following a 2-hour vocal loading exercise (oral reading). METHODS: Eighty-six adult participants tracked their voice recovery using short vocal tasks and perceptual ratings after an initial vocal loading exercise and for the following 2 days. RESULTS: Short-term recovery was apparent, with 90% recovery within 4 to 6 hours and full recovery at 12 to 18 hours. Recovery was shown to be similar to a dermal wound healing trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: The new recovery trajectory highlighted by the vocal loading exercise in the current study is called a vocal recovery trajectory. By comparing vocal fatigue to dermal wound healing, this trajectory is parallel to a chronic wound healing trajectory (as opposed to an acute wound healing trajectory). This parallel suggests that vocal fatigue from the daily use of the voice could be treated as a chronic wound, with the healing and repair mechanisms in a state of constant repair. In addition, there is likely a vocal fatigue threshold at which point the level of tissue damage would shift the chronic healing trajectory to an acute healing trajectory. (+info)
Vocal fold bowing in elderly male monozygotic twins: a case study.
(19/39)
Spectral analysis of the human voice: a potentially useful tool in rehabilitation.
(22/39)
AIM: The study was aimed at providing normal data from the spectral analysis of the human voice. This step of the research has a bearing in the field of speech and language retraining. The possibility of providing quantitative data would hasten monitoring of possible improvements along a rehabilitation program. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational design was applied. Thirty-two men, 30 women and 34 children were the healthy volunteers participating to the study. The adult participants had to repeat the 12 words of the ENPA instrument for Italian language. The children repeated words from the Fanzago test. Real Time Pitch Model 5121 manufactured by Kay PENTAX recorded the voice. The following spectral descriptors were obtained for each word: mean frequency, standard deviation, loudness, duration, jitter and shimmer. Test-retest performance was also checked. RESULTS: As expected, women had a higher mean frequency than men (119+/-3 v. 193+/-5 Hz), but the variation coefficient (CV: SD/mean) was the same, namely 0.1. By contrast, children had a significantly higher mean frequency (245+/-35 Hz) and a lower CV. Under this respect, groups could be statistically divided. Loudness was practically the same among the groups, whereas the children had short time duration in word uttering. Children had also the highest jitter values, whereas shimmer values were higher in men. CONCLUSIONS: Spectral analysis of the human voice is recommended in each laboratory of speech and language rehabilitation. The usual testing is not replaced but can exploit the accurate definition of voice descriptors. (+info)
[Usefulness of assessment of voice capabilities in female patients with reflux-related dysphonia].
(23/39)
OBJECTIVES: To analyze vocal capabilities in patients diagnosed with reflux related dysphonia versus controls with healthy voice with selection of the most informative discriminating quantitative parameters and to assess voice changes following treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six parameters of voice range profile (VRP) and five parameters of speech range profile were taken and analyzed from 60 dysphonic outpatient females with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) diagnosed by reflux-related atypical and typical symptoms, videolaryngoscopic findings, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and positive response to empiric 3-month omeprazole treatment. Seventy-six females with healthy voice served as controls. RESULTS: All six parameters of voice range profile and three of 5 parameters of speech range profile showed significant differences comparing LPR patients with controls before omeprazole treatment (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed VRP maximum-minimum intensity range to be the most informative parameter for discrimination between reflux-related dysphonic and healthy voices (overall prediction accuracy, 86.8%). A threshold value of significant parameter was stated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Treatment with omeprazole significantly improved voice quality showing the greatest changes in the mean scores of majority of voice range profile parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Vocal capabilities, especially evaluated by voice range profile, are restricted in LPR female patients in comparison to subjects with healthy voice. Quantitative voice assessment with voice range profile may add more objective aspect for screening dysphonia and could be used as a criterion of evaluation of treatment efficacy in such patients. (+info)
Emergence of tacts following mand training in young children with autism.
(24/39)