A&P Review #2

How many pairs of joints are in the larynx, what are they called, what is their function?

Cricothyroid Joints: positioned on the right and left sides of the larynx and involve articulations between facets on the inner surfaces of the inferior cornua of the thyroid cartilage and the outer surfaces of the lower part of the cricoid cartilage; they rotate and slide; Cricoarytenoid Joints: positioned near the top of the larynx and involve articulations between the facets on the undersurfaces of the arytenoid cartilages and sloping rims of the cricoid cartilage; they rock and slide

How does vocal fold lengthening occur?

Forward directed forces pull on the front ends of the vocal fold where they are attached to the inside of the thyroid cartilages and/or backward directed forces pulling on the back ends of the vocal fold where they attach to the arytenoid cartilages

How does vocal fold shortening occur?

Relaxation of the external muscles (cricoarytenoid muscles and cricothyroid muscles) and/or the shortening of the thyroarytenoid muscles

Describe the laryngeal function. Include glottal stop.

Glottal stop: the vocal folds are adducted and the air pressure builds up and there's a sudden release of air

Describe vocal fold vibration.

Starts as air pressure increases below the vocal folds and eventually opens middle and bottom of the vocal folds. It's a passive movement and cyclical. It's a wave-like movement.

How does your larynx change over your life span?

Starting as a child, it's higher up and slowly descends over time. Calcifies and ossifies as you get old, gets stiffer and more brittle.

What's the difference between a male and female's larynx?

Male larynx is larger, has a more prominent notch, starts high (same as a female child) gets really low quickly but comes back up as they get old.

Your wide open glottis is about the size of a _____

dime

The shape of the thyroid lamina resembles a ___

bow of a ship

Each arytenoid cartilage is located atop one side of the sloping rim of the posterior quadrant lamina of the ___

cricoid cartilage

The greater cornua of the hyoid bone is located toward the back of the structures and adjoins with the superior cornua of the ___

thyroid cartilage

Many intrinsic muscles of the larynx such as the thyroid arytenoid, posterior cricoarytenoid, and lateral cricoarytenoid are innervated by which cranial nerve

vagus (cranial nerve X)

What are important mechanisms for increasing vocal fold stiffness

cricothyroid stretching the vocal fold and increases force per unit and the thyroid arytenoid increasing the stiffness of the muscular part of the vibrations

T/F The cricoarytenoid forms the lowest part of the laryngeal skeleton.

true

T/F The corniculate cartilages is often fused with the arytenoid cartilages.

true

T/F The epiglottis is a single cartilage that is positioned in front of the hyoid bone and at the root of the tongue.

false

T/F Each vocal fold has a front attachment near the midline of the thyroid cartilage and a rear attachment to the vocal process of the cricoid cartilage on the same side

false

T/F The muscular movement underlying the ventricular fold movement is well understood.

false

T/F Only one type of force, active, operates on the larynx.

false

T/F Actions of the intrinsic muscles have a direct and profound influence on the vocal folds such as adducting, abducting, lengthening and shortening, and tensing the vocal folds.

true

T/F Healthy vocal folds are moveable and flexible.

true

T/F Individual vocal fold vibrations are caused by individual muscular contractions that pull apart and force them back together again

false

T/F The higher the sound pressure level lesser the perceived loudness

false

T/F The fundamental frequency of the voice is greater at the midrange of sound pressure levels.

true

Each arytenoid cartilage has a complex shape that includes a ___, a base, and three sides

apex (top)

The base of each arytenoid cartilage has a flexible pointed projection that extends toward the front and is designated the ____

vocal process

The base of each arytenoid cartilage also includes a round stubby projection that extends toward the back and side. This is referred to as the ____

muscular process

The ___ is free floating

hyoid bone

Another name for the __ are the false vocal folds

ventricular folds

Contractions of the muscles with attachments above the larynx can ___ the larynx

raise

Contractions of the muscles with attachments below the larynx can ___ the larynx

lower

Fundamental frequencies is measured in cycles per second or ___

hertz

Voice results from vibration of the ___

vocal folds

What are intrinsic muscles

both ends of the muscle are connected within the larynx

What are extrinsic muscles

one end of the muscle in the larynx and the other is outside

What are supplemental muscles

muscles that have their two connections outside the larynx

The larynx is positioned between the __ and the ___

trachea; hyoid bone

The upper horns called the ___ are coupled with the hyoid

superior cornua

Contraction of the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle pulls forward on the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage, rocking them over the cricoid cartilage and swinging the vocal folds ____

inward toward midline

Vocal fold vibration is sustained because of the combined contribution of

changes in air pressure, changing glottal shape

What is the average volume of a conversation

65 dB

What are the functions of the larynx

helps to breathe, helps to speak, and keeps out foreign materials