Exam 3 - Physiology

Articulation

adjustment of the shape of the pharyngeal, oral and nasal cavities to manipulate the sound and airflow generated in the respiratory and phonatory systems

Resonance

reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection or by the synchronous vibration of a surrounding space or a neighboring object

Source Filter Theory

Vocal folds generate a sound (source), sound travels through cavities (filter), vocal tract changes shape, sound is shaped into speech

Muscle action alters airflow and pressure by…

main muscles: tensor/levator veli palatini and palatopharyngeus, velopharyngeal closure influences flow of sound waves through system (oral vs nasal vs oral AND nasal resonance), determines resonance

Velopharyngeal Closure

The degree of oral-nasal coupling (are the cavities continuous or not), caused by flap-sphincter action (velum raises up and back by palatini muscles, medial and anterior movement of pharynx by pharyngeal constrictors), occurs during speech, swallowing, gagging, sucking, etc, there are variations in compressive muscular action, changes in strength, extent of elevation, and overall position, has significant effects on acoustic impedance and therefore resonance

Vowel Production

SOURCE FILTER THEORY! relatively open vocal tract, voiced, determined by resonance

Consonant Production

restriction or blocking of air flow, can be voiced or voiceless, different places and manners of articulation

Oral Prepatory Stage

1st stage of swallowing, preparation of bolus (mastication, lips, tongue, and velum closed, buccal tension)

Oral Transit Stage

2nd stage of swallowing, tongue drops, velum rises, bolus moves to faucial pillars and swallow reflex begins

Pharyngeal Stage

3rd stage of swallowing, EVERYTHING IS CLOSING, larynx elevates, epiglottis falls over, bolus slides down

Esophageal Stage

4th stage of swallowing, pharyngeal constriction puts bolus into esophagus, initiates peristalsis

Cleft Palate - Structural Problems

when structures do not come together during prenatal development (premaxilla, prolabium, hard palate, soft palate)

Primary Palate Cleft

Prolabium and/or premaxilla are not fully fused, can be unilateral or bilateral

Secondary Palate Cleft

cleft of hard and soft palate, complete or incomplete, at the midline

Cleft Palate impacts on articulation/resonance

omission of consonants, glottal stops replace oral stops, reduced intelligibility, hypernasality

Aspiration

when a material accidentally enters the airway or lungs

Lungs remain open because…

PLEURAL PRESSURE! negative pressure that draws lungs to outside of ribcage

Expiratory pressure

Positive pressure created by decreased volume

Inspiratory pressure

Negative pressure created by increasing volume

Process of respiration

diaphragm contracts, thorax/lung size increase, pressure decreases (air comes in), muscles relax, air flows out, abdomen puts force on diaphragm, all returns to resting position and air is forced out

Structures involved in respiration

diaphragm, accessory muscles of inspiration/expiration, lungs, trachea, bronchi

Phonatory cycle

arytenoids adduct, subglottal pressure pushes vocal folds open, air rushes through, Bernoulli effect creates negative pressure pulling folds together

Bernoulli Effect

with constant volume where air is flowing through, at a point of constriction, air pressure drops and velocity increases

Medial Compression + Effects on Voice

Amount of force with which vocal folds come together, affects loudness

Longitudinal Tension + Effects on Voice

degree of stretching force on vocal folds, affects pitch

Role of articulators (speech)

blocking/restricting air flow, shaping cavities

Velum as articulator

mobile, for velar consonant sounds, back of tongue elevates to approximate velum

Lips as articulators

mobile, important for rounding (vowels) and bilabial, labiodental consonants

Mandible as articulator

mobile, changes size of oral cavity and position of lips/tongue

Tongue as articulator

mobile, elevates, depresses, protrudes, retracts, deviates left/right, relaxes, grooves, narrows

Pharynx as articulator

mobile, muscles change diameter/length of pharynx, changes resonance

Teeth as articulators

immobile, point of contact for moveable articulators, important for linguadental sounds and labiodental consonants

alveolar ridge as articulator

immobile, where tooth sockets reside, important for alveolar sounds

hard palate as articulator

immobile, helpful for post-alveolar fricatives and /j/