speech acoustics - quiz 2 (respiratory and phonation)

Tuning fork and frequency

There is a tuning fork set to vibrate at a certain frequency, which sets the air molecules around it to that same frequency it is vibrating at. If there is a tuning fork nearby, it will start to vibrate at the same frequency as the first tuning fork and the surrounding air molecules. As frequency moves and that energy goes to nearby objects, the energy will transfer but the frequency might not be the same? Because the second tuning fork is smaller, it doesn't vibrate at the same frequency.

An acoustic resonator is created when

the air inside a partially or completely enclosed container vibrates

Process of breathing

1. Inhalation

2. Inspiration

3. Exhalation

4. Expiration

5. Gas exchange (O2 and CO2)

6. Diffusion

Inhalation

taking in air

Exhalation

breathing out air

Inspiration and expiration are both…

gas exchange

Diffusion

movement of air molecules from high concentration to low concentration

Boyle's law

If the volume of a gas is increased, given a constant temperature, the pressure will decrease. If the volume of a gas is decreased, given a constant temperature, the pressure will increase.

How will a size of a container change the amount of pressure inside that container?

A bigger container will have less pressure (because there’s more space for the air molecules to move around). A smaller container will have more pressure

How does inhalation work? (apply Boyle’s law)

We expand the volume of our lungs. There is negative pressure inside our lungs relative to Patmos (atmospheric pressure) of the air outside our lungs. Air flows from outside the lungs to inside the lungs (inhalation!) There is now positive pressure within the lungs. Due to contracting lung volume, air flows outside (exhalation!)

What is part of the bony thorax and axial skeleton?

Vertebral column, ribs, sternum, pectoral girdle, pelvic girdle

Ribs attach to

superior, inferior and transverse costal facets

What are the attachments to the axial skeleton?

Pectoral Girdle (Scapula & Clavicle)

What is the attachment point for upper extremities?

Pectoral Girdle (Scapula & Clavicle)

The pelvic girdle is the attachment point of…

lower extremities to vertebral column

What is this?

Sternum

What is this?

Sternum

The respiratory structures in the visceral thorax are divided into…

the respiratory zone and the conducting zone

Conducting zone

Respiratory passageways that carry air to respiratory zone

Respiratory Zone

Site of gas exchange, includes respiratory bronchioles, alveoli

What does the trachealis muscle do and what is the importance?

the trachealis muscle contracts the trachea. importance - when you need to cough, this muscle contracts to help you cough or sneeze

Parietal Pleura

Internal surface of thoracic cavity

Visceral Pleura

External surface of the lungs

Pleural cavity

Space between parietal and visceral pleurae, filled with pleural fluid

1st function of pleural fluid

holds parietal and visceral pleura together, thus lungs cling to thoracic wall, and MOVE WITH the thoracic wall

2nd function of pleural fluid

lubricates, allowing lungs to slide across the thoracic wall

Muscles of respiration use

muscles of inspiration (quiet & forced), and muscles of expiration

Function of diaphragm

primary mover of inspiration; increases vertical dimension of thorax; increases intra-abdominal pressure

What are the muscles for quiet inspiration?

External intercostal muscles

Function of external intercostal muscles

raise ribs (up and out)

What are the muscles for forced expiration?

Internal intercostal muscles

Function of internal intercostal muscles

pulls ribs downward

The rate of breathing is measured in…

breaths per minute (BPM)

Your rate of breathing changes or stays constant?

Changes with age and level of activity

BPM depends upon

• Lung size

• Lung weight

• Angle of rib cage

• Pleural pressure changes (becomes more negative)

• Thoracic cavity size

• Nervous system development

Resting expiratory level (REL)

Air not moving into or out of system for a brief instant

At resting expiratory level (REL), what is the pressure like?

Palv (alveolar pressure) is equal to Patmos (atmospheric pressure)

End-expiratory level (EEL)

End point of a normal quiet exhalation

In EEL, what is the pressure like?

There is no difference between alveolar pressure and atmospheric pressure

Lung volumes

the amount of air that is within our lungs at a given point in time and how much air is used for varying purposes like speech

Lung volume is measured in

Litres (l) or millilitres (ml)

True or false: Lung volumes are single, non-overlapping values

True

tidal volume

amount of air inspired and expired in a normal breathing cycle

In simple terms, tidal volume is

normal breathing in and out

Tidal volume involves which muscles?

muscles of quiet inspiration and quiet expiration

inspiratory reserve volume

maximum amount of additional air inspired after a tidal inhalation is completed

In simple terms, inspiratory reserve volume is

maximum inhalation

Inspiratory reserve volume involves which muscles?

muscles of forced inspiration

expiratory reserve volume

maximum volume of air expired after a tidal expiration

In simple terms, expiratory reserve volume is

maximum exhalation

residual volume

air remaining in the lungs even after a maximum exhalation

Lung capacities

Two or more lung volumes

Lung capacities is measured in

Litres (l) or millilitres (ml)

vital capacity formula

tidal volume + inspiratory reserve volume + expiratory reserve volume

The vital capacity formula is used to calculate…

amount of air available for breathing or speech

functional residual capacity formula

expiratory reserve volume + residual volume

The functional residual capacity formula is used to calculate…

amount of air that is remaining in the lungs after an expiratory volume

inspiratory capacity formula

tidal volume + inspiratory reserve volume

The inspiratory capacity formula is used to calculate…

amount of air inhaled at the end of an inspiratory level

total lung capacity formula

tidal volume + inspiratory reserve volume + expiratory reserve volume + residual volume

The total lung capacity formula is used to calculate. . .

total amount of air that your lungs are capable of holding

Gas exchange for breathing during rest

gas exchanged to match metabolism, otherwise hypo- hyperventilation

Gas exchange for breathing during speech

tend to hyperventilate, less CO2 especially in extended & loud speaking

Clavicular breathing pattern

when the clavicle and neck is moving

Thoracic breathing pattern

(most common) more chest movements than diaphragmatic

Diaphragmatic-thoracic breathing pattern

(not common, usually with singers) lower thoracic and abdominal muscles moving

Breathing for sustained vowels

steady outflow of air

Breathing for connected speech

more variable pitch and loudness changes, rate, duration of utterance, linguistic stress

Extended vocalization

max inspiration to max expiration, lung volume starts high and ends low, rib cage & abdominal start high and decrease

Running speech (also called connected speech)

much more variable, lung volume is usually twice resting tidal but not max, rib cage & abdomen decrease (rib cage faster than abdomen)

children demonstrate breathing behaviours that reflect speech-like utterances (shorter inhalations and longer exhalations) by age…

age 2

In older adult breathing patterns, they have reduced…

• elastic recoil pressure (their lungs don’t bounce back as well)

• vital capacity, inspiratory and expiratory reserve volume (they can’t inhale or exhale as much extra air)

In older adult breathing patterns, they have increased…

residual volume (more air stays trapped in the lungs after exhaling)

What auditory–perceptual measures of respiration do SLPs evaluate?

Pressure - loudness, Volume - how many syllables per breath (assessed using caterpillar passage, rainbow passage, etc.), Shape of breathing pattern (are their chest or abdomen moving)

Respiratory problems

Obstructive, Restrictive, Central

Obstructive respiratory problem

asthma, bronchitis, COPD

Restrictive respiratory problem

fibrosis of lungs, neuromuscular disease

Central respiratory problem

brain stem damage/stroke

In an obstructive respiratory problem, it usually affects (inhalation or exhalation?)

exhalation

In a restrictive respiratory problem, it usually affects (inhalation or exhalation)?

inhalation

In a central respiratory problem, it usually affects (inhalation or exhalation)?

inadequate ventilation (could be inhalation or exhalation)

Symptoms of a respiratory breathing problem

Dyspnea & stridor

Dyspnea

discomfort when a person is breathing, could be chest tightening

Stridor

there is some sound when a person is breathing, like a wheezing sound

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's Disease (information from Parkinson's Foundation website)

1. Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time. Tremors common in Parkinson's disease. But the disorder also may cause stiffness, slowing of movement and trouble with balance.

2. Shortness of breath in Parkinson’s can result from “wearing off" from medication such as levodopa, respiratory dyskinesia (an occurrence of irregular and rapid breathing, dyskinesia (writhing movements) of other body parts. Advanced PD can increase the risk of swallowing difficulties, choking, and aspiration pneumonia (which is pneumonia that develops after food or liquid “goes down the wrong pipe.”)

3. Treating breathing difficulties in PD depends on the cause identified. For wearing off of levodopa and dyskinesia, adjusting PD medication is helpful. Anxiety can be treated with medication or psychotherapy. Aspiration pneumonia is typically treated with antibiotics.

Tips - exercise/staying active, managing anxiety, quitting smoking, working with an SLP for any swallowing issues

Adduction

the vocal folds come together (close) for speech

What muscles are used for adduction?

Lateral cricoarytenoid, transverse arytenoid, and oblique arytenoid muscle

Abduction

the vocal folds move apart (open) to allow for breathing

What muscles are used for abduction?

Posterior cricoarytenoid

Tissues of the vocal folds

1. Squamous epithelium (superficial)

2. Lamina propria (3 layers)

3. Thyroartenoid muscle

Subglottal pressure (also called tracheal pressure)

air builds up beneath the closed vocal folds during adduction, which creates pressure called subglottal pressure

Two primary adjustments to regulate voice

Longitudinal tension and medial compression

Longitudinal tension has an relationship between…

tension and cross-sectional area (as cross-sectional area decreases, tension increases)

How does longitudinal tension affect pitch/tone?

As crossectional area (width) decreases, tension increases. When we change the tension of our vocal folds, it changes the pitch of our voice. We need higher tension for a higher pitch. We need a lower cross-sectional area and less tension for a lower pitched voice

Medial Compression has a relationship between…

medial compression and subglottal pressure (more medial compression, more subglottal pressure required)

How does medial compression affect intensity/loudness?

If we have more medial compression (when vocal folds close), more subglottal pressure is required. After we have a build up of subglottal pressure in the vocal folds, that air will push through and create sound. When we produce a louder and more intense voice, we have more medial compression and more subglottal pressure.

Myoelastic Aerodynamic Theory of Phonation

voice production is a combination of muscle forces (myo), tissue elasticity (elastic), and air pressures and flows (aerodynamic)

What are the central concepts of the Myoelastic Aerodynamic Theory of Phonation? (Basically, what processes are used during speech?)

Subglottal pressure, elasticity, and Bernoulli effect

Bernoulli effect

Reduced velocity, increased pressure. Increased velocity, reduced pressure

How does the Bernoulli effect apply to the vocal folds?

When air flows through a narrow space like the vocal folds, it speeds up. This sudden increase in speed causes the pressure inside the air to drop, but the pressure in the area around the air (like the vocal folds) stays the same. This difference in pressure creates negative pressure between the vocal folds. This negative pressure acts like a small vacuum which pulls the vocal folds toward each other.