CDIS 290: Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech, Language, and Hearing Systems

larynx

primary organ of voice production

vocal folds

two bands of tissue that are positioned opposite each other in larynx; when not speaking they open so you can breath

trachea

wide flexible tube connecting larynx to bronchi of your lungs

glottis

opening between vocal folds, opens during breathing and narrows during voice production

cochlea

fluid-filled snail-like structure that contains the Corti and tiny hair cells that translate vibrations into electrical impulses carried to the brain by sensory nerves

Corti

organ for hearing

anatomy

study of body structures

physiology

study of functions of body structures

auditory mechanism

outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, and auditory nervous system

outer ear

structures: auricle/pinna, external auditory meatus/ear canal, tympanic membrane/eardrum; function: carries sound into ear canal

middle ear

structures: tympanic membrane/eardrum, ossicles (3 bones: malleus, incus, stapes), eustachian tubes; function: transports sound to inner ear

inner ear

structures: cochlea, semicircular canals; functions: transmits signals to auditory nerve and balance

auditory nervous system

structures: auditory nerve, brainstem, temporal lobe; function: transports neural impulses from cochlea to brain, where impulses are deciphered

how hearing works

• The pinna collects sound waves and carries the sound waves into the ear canal to the eardrum

• The eardrum vibrates, causing the ossicles to vibrate

• The ossicles transport sound (vibrations) to the inner ear to the cochlea

• The tiny hair cells in the cochlea vibrate and transmit signals to the auditory nerve

• The auditory nerve transports neural impulses from the cochlea to the brain, where impulses are deciphered as sound

Communication disorders caused by auditory disruptions

deafness and hard of hearing

structures of the respiratory system

nose, nasal cavity, mouth, oral cavity, sinus, larynx, pharynx, trachea, lungs (bronchi, alveoli), diaphragm, rib cage

expiration

5 muscles, exhaling, below diaphragm

inspiration

5 muscles, inhaling, above diaphragm

functions of respiratory system

Primary function: supplies oxygen to the body, removes carbon dioxide from the body, creates air pressure under vocal folds necessary for speech production; secondary function: protects the body from germs and irritants, warms and adds moisture to air

resting tidal breathing

life-sustaining breathing, rate and depth depend on oxygen and carbon dioxide, expiration and inspiration cycle 1:1

speech breathing

forceful and rapid, inspiration is shorter than expiration, contraction of muscles prevents air from exiting lungs rapidly

lifespan of respiratory system

structures of the respiratory system increase in size with age, maximum lung capacity is reached in early adulthood, respiratory function is less efficient at 70-80 years, respiratory function is impacted by health, exercise, and smoking

communication disorders caused by respiratory disruptions

voice, motor speech, fluency, swallowing

structures of the laryngeal system

part of the respiratory system, voice box, 3 parts (upper: supraglottic, middle: glottis (vocal folds housed), lower: subglottic), hyoid bone, cartilages, muscles

functions for laryngeal system

generates sounds for speech, allows air to move from the pharynx to the trachea, breathing, talking, and other vocalizations

lifespan of laryngeal system

infancy: small larynx, short vocal folds (4-6mm), larynx begins to fold; toddler/preschool: hyoid ossifies; school age: vocal folds (8-9mm), larynx in final position (10-20 years); puberty: vocal fold length stops increasing, 12-25mm, shorter=higher pitch vs longer=deeper voice; adulthood: vocal fold length 21-29mm; advancing age: cartilages ossify, vocal folds become stiff and rigid, pitch decreases or increases

communication disorders caused by laryngeal disruptions

voice, motor speech, fluency, swallowing

structures of the artculatory/resonating system

nostrils, nasal cavity, pharynx, velum, uvula, hard palate, aveolar ridge, lips, tongue, oral cavity, vocal folds

functions of the articulatory/resonating system

production and shaping of speech sounds

communication disorders caused by articulatory/resonating disruptions

articulation, voice, motor, fluency, swallowing

speech mechanism

auditory, respiratory, laryngeal, and articulatory/resonating systems