Exam 2 - Physiology

Biological Functions of Larynx

builds up pressure in respiratory tract during effortful activity, cough reflex to remove food, prevents aspiration during swallowing

Larynx change as infant

Downward migration of larynx

Larynx change as elder

Females drop in fundamental frequency, males rise in fundamental frequency

Bernoulli Effect

Air moving through a point of constriction will increase in velocity and decrease in pressure

Stages of phonatory cycle (Myoelastic Aerodynamic Theory)

1. subglottal pressure opens vocal folds from the bottom

2. vocal folds serve as point of constriction, create negative pressure

3. Bernoulli effect occurs, vocal folds close

4. elastic structure allows folds to move in specific vibratory patterns

Cover Body Model

Cover mass of vocal folds (epithelium and superficial lamina propria) move like waves from bottom to top (move differently than body mass), convergent airflow then divergent airflow

Modal/Chest vocal register

typical register, used during sustained phonation, most efficient for each individual

Pulse Register

low end of register, vocal fry at the very far end, low tracheal pressure

Falsetto/Loft Register

high end of register, high levels of longitudinal tension and tracheal pressure

Simultaneous/Usual Vocal Attack

respiration and adduction occur at the same time, any voiced phoneme, medium laryngeal opposing pressure

Breathy/Soft Vocal Attack

respiration occurs BEFORE adduction, breathy sound quality (/h/), low laryngeal opposing pressure

Hard/Glottal Vocal Attack

respiration occurs AFTER adduction, emphasis/increased loudness, strong medial compression, high laryngeal opposing pressure

Vocal Pitch

Psychological correlate to frequency, determined by mass and elasticity of vocal folds + longitudinal tension

Fundamental Frequency

Average rate of vibration for individuals (males 125, females 225, children 264-294)

Vocal Loudness

changed by adjustments of medial compression

Vocal Quality

changed by vocal registers and vocal attacks

Vocal Nodules

benign functional voice pathology, affects kids and adult women, caused by voice hyperfunction, lesions covered by fibrous tissue on vocal folds, voice production becomes harder because vocal folds don’t close

Hertz

phonatory cycles per second, measured with instruments

Abductor Muscles

open vocal folds (posterior cricoarytenoids)

Adductor Muscles

close vocal folds (everything intrinsic except for posterior cricoarytenoids, medial thyroarytenoids, and cricothyroids)

Paramedian Position

vocal folds during regular breathing

Adducted Position

vocal folds during speech

Medial Compression

Extent of force with which the vocal folds come together at midline

Longitudinal Tension

Degree of stretching on the vocal folds

Structural Differences and Vibratory Patterns

patterns of vocal vibration vary as a result of longitudinal tension (stretch) and medial compression (force of vocal folds)

Periodicity

equidistance between waves and equal height of waves (if aperiodic, voice has poor quality)