Anatomy and Physiology of Phonation

vocal folds

vocal cords; located within the larynx

glottis

space between vocal folds

what is the primary function of the larynx?

protection

what is the secondary function of the larynx?

speech

phonation

air passes through glottis causing vocal folds to vibrate, resulting in production of voice

during normal breathing, vocal folds are \_________

widely abducted; air flow is unconstrained as it flows in and out of lungs

abduction

open

adduction

closed

larynx

directly superior to trachea

phonation is caused by \_________

vibration

voiceless sounds

produced without vibration of vocal folds

voiced sounds

produced with vibration of vocal folds

hyoid bone

attachment point for extrinsic muscles of larynx, anchors tongue root

the larynx is suspended from the \_____ \____.

hyoid bone

the hyoid bone is shaped like a _.

U

the hyoid bone consists of what structures?

corpus (body), greater cornu (horn), lesser cornu (horn)

the cartilages of the larynx are...
(These Chocolate Eclairs Are Chocolatey and Cool)

thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, epiglottis, arytenoid cartilage, corniculate cartilage, and cuneiform cartilages

the large, unpaired cartilages of the larynx are...

thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, and epiglottis

the smaller, paired cartilages of the larynx are...

arytenoid cartilage, corniculate cartilage, and cuneiform cartilages

thyroid cartilage

largest of the laryngeal cartilages (large, unpaired)

cricoid cartilage

located above uppermost tracheal ring (large, unpaired), includes points of contact for thyroid cartilage and arytenoids

epiglottis

- flexible, leaf-like structure (large, unpaired) located just behind the hyoid bone and tongue root
- moves down to protect entrance to larynx during swallowing

why is it important that the epiglottis protects the larynx during swallowing?

food and drink does not belong in the larynx; it belongs in the esophagus
prevents food from going down "the wrong pipe"

arytenoid cartilages

pyramid-shaped pieces of cartilage found in larynx; *allow vocal folds to be tensed or relaxed* (smaller, paired)

corniculate cartilages

on top of arytenoid cartilages, no longer believed to have important function

cricoarytenal joints

- laryngeal joint; *helps open, close, and tighten vocal folds during speech and breathing*
- permits thyroid to tilt forward

what happens with forward thyroid movement?

increased tension in vocal folds, resulting in higher vocal pitch

The vocal folds are \____ during inhalation

open

The vocal folds \____ \________ during swallowing and phonation

come together

When closed, the vocal folds may \_______ and \________ the expelled airflow from the lungs to produce speech and singing

vibrate and modulate

The vocal folds are divided into _ layers of tissue and _ chunks of tissue

5 layers
3 chunks

what is the first layer and chunk of the vocal folds?

epithelium

epithelium

- protective in nature
- shiny, thin, mucous membrane covered lining
* regeneration and regrowth *

why is regeneration and regrowth of the vocal folds important?

They are touching and meeting all day. If it were not for the epithelium, our vocal folds would be damaged easily

what is the second chunk of the vocal folds?

lamina propria

The lamina propria (second chunk of the vocal folds) is divided into 3 layers called the...

superficial layer (5 mm thick), immediate layer (1-2 mm thick), and deep layer (1-2 mm thick)

The superficial layer of the lamina propria allows the vocal folds to \____ and \______ \________.

to give and change movement

The superficial layer of the lamina propria are made up of...to be stretchy and flexible.

randomized elastin fiber content

The intermediate layer of the lamina propria is \________ with \____________

flexible with organization

The deep layer of the lamina propria is known for \_________, \_______, and \_________

structure, support, and formation

The deep layer of the lamina propria is made of \________

collagen (designed to make it firm and tight)

what is the fifth layer and third chunk of the vocal folds?

thyroarytenoid muscle

The thyroarytenoid muscle is...

the true basis of the vocal folds

Laryngeal muscles are divided into \________ and \_________

intrinsic and extrinsic

intrinsic laryngeal muscles

both origin and insertion (all attachments) are in laryngeal cartilages

Intrinsic laryngeal muscles consist of \____, \________, and \_____ \________ movements.

fine, pinpoint, and small accurate

The intrinsic laryngeal muscles include \_________, \_________, \_______, and \________.

adductors, abductors, tensors, and relaxers

The adductor intrinsic laryngeal muscles do what to the vocal folds?

bring them together

The adductor intrinsic laryngeal muscles include...

lateral cricoarytenoid (LCA), interarytenoid (IA), and thyroarytenoid (TA)

The lateral cricoarytenoid (LAC) adducts the vocal folds by way of \_______ and applies \______ \__________.

rocking, medial compression

medial compression

tight adduction, especially when holding a big breath, and have a lot of pressure

medial compression is expressed when...

shouting, during child labor, lifting weight, bowel movement, and ejaculation

The interarytenoids run \_______ arytenoids

between

The interarytenoids are divided into \__________ and \_______.

transverse (TIA) and oblique (OIA)

The thyroarytenoid muscles is also known as ...

the vocal folds

There are several portions of the thyroarytenoid muscles, which include...

vocalls portion- tense vocal folds and high pitch
lateral portion- adduct and apply medial compression
medial portion- shortens and relaxes vocal folds and low pitch

more tension \= \______ pitch

higher

less tension \= \_____ pitch

lower

The vocalls portion of the thyroarytenoid muscles make the vocal folds \_____, with \______ pitch.

tense, higher

The lateral portion of the thyroarytenoid muscles \_____ and apply \______ \_______

adduct and medial compression

The medial portion of the thyraoarytenoid muscles work to \_______ and \_____ the vocal folds, with \___ pitch.

shorten and relax, low pitch

The only abductor intrinsic laryngeal muscles is...

the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA)

The posterior cricoarytenoid muscle works to \____ \______ the vocal folds

pull apart (like a broken heart)

The tensor intrinsic laryngeal muscle is the \____________ muscle. It is responsible for \_____ change only.

the cricothyroid muscle (CT), pitch

As the vocal folds are stretched and elongated, the cricothyroid muscle \_________ longitudnal tension, which results in \______ vibraations.

increases, faster

The cricothyroid muscle consists of 2 parts arising from the anterior cricoid cartilage. These are-

pars oblique and pars recta

The relaxer intrinsic laryngeal muscle is the \_______________

thyromuscularis

The thyromuscularis \________ and \________ vocal folds

shortens and relaxes

The extrinsic laryngeal muscles are muscles that \____ the larynx as a whole and have all the attachment points \_______ the larynx.

move, outside

The extrinsic laryngeal muscles focus on \_____ movements, while the intrinsic laryngeal muscles focus on \_____ movements.

large, small

The extrinsic larygneal muscles \_______ or \______ the larynx, changing the shape of the vocal tract and making it \_______ or \_______.

elevate or depress, shorter or longer

The extrinsic laryngeal muscles are important for \_________.

swallowing

The extrinsic laryngeal muscles are divided into \_________ and \___________

elevators and depressors

The elevators of the extrinsic laryngeal muscles are called \__________ muscles. They \____ \__ on the larynx.

superahyoid, pull up

The depressors of the extrinsic laryngeal muscles are called \________ muscles. They \____ \____ on the larynx

infrahyoid, pull down

The suprahyoid muscles are-

digastic, stylohyyoiid, mylohyoid, geniohyoid

The infrahyoid muscles are-

strenohyoid, omohyoid, sternothyroid, thyrohyoid

During phonation, air is forced from the lungs \______ through the trachea into the \________ region of the larynx. The air stream encounters the adducted vocal folds and enough pressure is built up to force the vocal folds \______. Vocal fold \_________ occurs.

upward, subglottal, apart, vibration

The elasticity of the vocal folds is called \_______ \_______ \_______. This is the most widely accepted explanation of vocal fold vibration.

myoayro dymanic process

The Bernouilli Effect is-

used to describe the cycle of vibration of the vocal folds

The three laryngeal functions for phonation are \______, \________, and \__________.

attack, sustain, termination

attack

process of bringing vocal folds together so that aerodynamic forces can set vocal folds into vibration (adduct)

The muscles used for attack are -

lateral cricoarytenoid (LCA), interarytenoid (IA), and possibly thyroarytenoid (TA)

The three types of attack are-

simultaneous vocal attack, breathy vocal attack, and glottal attack

simultaneous vocal attack

adduction and onset of expiration are at the same time (ex: /did/)

breathy vocal attack

onset of exhalation before full adduction (ex: /he/)

glottal attack

adduction prior to airflow (ex: a cough)

sustain

maintaining vocal fold position so that phonation continues

termination

process of abducting the vocal folds so that phonation stops

Termination is done by the \________ \_____________ \_______.

posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA)

cycle

one complete vibration

period

(T); defined by time, how long to complete 1 cycle

frequency

(F); how many cycles can occur in given time frame in seconds- cycles/second \= Hertz

- longer period \= lower frequency, shorter period \= higher frequency

Fundamental Frequency refers to-

frequency from which the vocal folds complete the vibratory cycle per second

1 cycle of vibration is-

vocal folds together -\> vocal folds blown apart -\> vocal folds sucked back together

low frequencies of vibration are perceived as-

low pitch

high frequencies of vibration are perceived as-

high pitch

pitch is a result of the \_____/\_____ of vocal folds

size/shape
(ex: larger mass -\> larger fundamental frequency -\> lower pitch)

Pitch changes are accomplished through \___________/\_______ and \__________/\________ of the vocal folds

lengthening/tensing- higher pitch and shortening/ relaxing- lower pitch

Pitch is also shaped by size of \_____ \_____

vocal tract; larger size\=lower pitch