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Sebestyen A, Hilger A, Kleiber H. Case Report: Benefits of LSVT LOUD in a multilingual patient with hypokinetic-hyperkinetic dysarthria and suspected progressive supranuclear palsy. FRONTIERS IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES 2024; 5:1421730. [PMID: 39091567 PMCID: PMC11291323 DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2024.1421730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Purpose This case study measured how well the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) improved vocal features, intelligibility, and communicative effectiveness for a multilingual participant with hypokinetic-hyperkinetic dysarthria secondary to suspected progressive supranuclear palsy. LSVT treatment was chosen for the participant due to the strengths and deficits he presented with prior to treatment, and for the anticipated challenges in treatment that may arise from the presence of multilingualism and impaired cognitive functioning. Methods A multilingual patient in their 60's (English, Spanish, and French) with hypokinetic-hyperkinetic dysarthria secondary to suspected progressive supranuclear palsy completed the standard treatment sessions for LSVT. Assessment measures were taken at baseline, immediately post-treatment, and three-months post-treatment. Results Improvements were measured in vocal quality, vocal loudness, intelligibility, and communicative effectiveness immediately post-treatment. Three months post-treatment, improvements in vocal quality and intelligibility were maintained. Conclusion This case study illustrates that LSVT may be a beneficial treatment for complex clients who are multilingual and present with complex comorbidities and cognitive deficits. LSVT resulted in some meaningful changes in vocal quality, intelligibility, and communicative effectiveness for this individual. Clinicians who work with complex patients may wish to consider the theoretical underpinnings of LSVT, client profile, areas of client need, and ability and desire to complete an intensive treatment program to determine if trialing LSVT is appropriate. The use of LSVT with complex clients may yield positive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison Hilger
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
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Nguyen DD, Novakovic D, Madill C. Voice disorder discrimination using vowel acoustic measures in female speakers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2024. [PMID: 38884559 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.13081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sustained vowels are important vocal tasks that have been investigated in discriminating voice disorders using acoustic analysis. To date, no study has combined vowel acoustic measures only that evaluate major aspects of the pathological voice signals in voice disorder discrimination. AIMS To investigate the value of vowel acoustic measures that quantify glottal noise, signal stability, signal periodicity, spectral slope and overall voice quality in discriminating female speakers with and without voice disorders. METHODS & PROCEDURES Sustained vowel /ɑ/ samples were extracted from 133 voice-disordered female patients and 97 non-voice disordered female speakers and were signal typed prior to analysis. Praat software was used to measure harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), glottal-to-noise excitation ratio (GNE), the standard deviation of fundamental frequency (F0SD) and cepstral peak prominence (CPPp); and the Analysis of Dysphonia in Speech and Voice (ADSV) program was used to measure CPPadsv, low/high spectral ratio (LH) and the cepstral/spectral index of dysphonia (CSID). Outcome measures included sensitivity, specificity, and discrimination accuracy. OUTCOMES & RESULTS As individual acoustic measures, only spectral-based measures showed good (CPPadsv) and acceptable (CSID) discrimination results. The HNR, GNE and CPPp measures had acceptable sensitivity but poor or non-acceptable specificity and discrimination accuracy. Logistic regression models with all Praat measures (F0SD, HNR, GNE, CPPp) plus ADSV measures (CPPadsv, LH or CSID) provided excellent sensitivity, good-to-excellent specificity and excellent discrimination accuracy. ROC analysis for all individual measures showed that CPPadsv, CSID, CPPp, GNE and F0SD had the highest area under the curve (AUC) values. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS A combination of acoustic measures that evaluate the major aspects of vocal dysfunction resulted in good to excellent voice discrimination outcomes. Individual acoustic measures had lower discrimination ability than combined measures. The findings implied that acoustic measures extracted from a prolonged vowel were useful in voice disorder discrimination. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject Acoustic measures hold great value in discriminating voice disorders from normal voices. However, no study has evaluated discrimination values of a combination of sustained vowel acoustic measures that quantify additive noise, signal stability, signal periodicity, spectral slope and overall voice quality in single-gender cohorts. Previous studies have not used signal typing (the classification of the acoustic signals) for time-based measures, impacting the reliability of discrimination. What this study adds to the existing knowledge This study was the first to implement signal typing to include sustained vowel samples of Types 1 and 2 signals for discrimination statistics. We showed that a combination of vocal acoustic measures using time- and spectral-based extraction from the sustained /ɑ/ vowel evaluating additive noise, signal stability, signal periodicity, spectral slope and overall voice quality resulted in good to excellent sensitivity, specificity and discrimination accuracy. As individual measures, traditional time-based measures such as HNR had rather limited discrimination values whilst spectral-based measures provided higher discrimination values. Measures that are sensitive to signal types have low discrimination ability. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The sustained vowel /ɑ/ is a relevant, universal vocal task for clinical application using acoustic measures to discriminate female speakers with and without voice disorders if signal typing is implemented. Clinical voice assessment using vowels may not be effective if relying solely on time-based measurements. Spectral-based measures perform better in voice disorder discrimination given their insensitivity to signal types. The most effective voice disorder discrimination could only be obtained using a combination of acoustic measures that quantify major phenomena in the signals of disordered voices. Using measures extracted from both programs, Praat and ADSV, is useful given that specific settings in a program may impact on discrimination accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duy Duong Nguyen
- Voice Research Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel Novakovic
- Voice Research Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catherine Madill
- Voice Research Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Guastamacchia A, Albera A, Puglisi GE, Nudelman CJ, Soleimanifar S, Astolfi A, Aronoff JM, Bottalico P. Impact of cochlear implants use on voice production and quality. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12787. [PMID: 38834775 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63688-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cochlear implant users experience difficulties controlling their vocalizations compared to normal hearing peers. However, less is known about their voice quality. The primary aim of the present study was to determine if cochlear implant users' voice quality would be categorized as dysphonic by the Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) and smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS). A secondary aim was to determine if vocal quality is further impacted when using bilateral implants compared to using only one implant. The final aim was to determine how residual hearing impacts voice quality. Twenty-seven cochlear implant users participated in the present study and were recorded while sustaining a vowel and while reading a standardized passage. These recordings were analyzed to calculate the AVQI and CPPS. The results indicate that CI users' voice quality was detrimentally affected by using their CI, raising to the level of a dysphonic voice. Specifically, when using their CI, mean AVQI scores were 4.0 and mean CPPS values were 11.4 dB, which indicates dysphonia. There were no significant differences in voice quality when comparing participants with bilateral implants to those with one implant. Finally, for participants with residual hearing, as hearing thresholds worsened, the likelihood of a dysphonic voice decreased.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Albera
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, 10100, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Charles J Nudelman
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Simin Soleimanifar
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Arianna Astolfi
- Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, 10129, Turin, Italy
| | - Justin M Aronoff
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Pasquale Bottalico
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
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Contreras-Ruston F, Castillo-Allendes A, Saavedra-Garrido J, Ochoa-Muñoz AF, Hunter EJ, Kotz SA, Navarra J. Voice self-assessment in individuals with Parkinson's Disease as compared to general voice disorders. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2024; 123:106944. [PMID: 38552350 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.106944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with Parkinson's Disease (IwPD) often fail to adjust their voice in different situations, without awareness of this limitation. Clinicians use self-report questionnaires that are typically designed for individuals with General Voice Disorders (GVD) in the vocal assessment of IwPD. However, these instruments may not consider that IwPD have a reduced self-perception of their vocal deficits. This study aimed to compare self-reported vocal symptoms and voice loudness between IwPD and GVD. METHODS 28 IwPD and 26 with GVD completed the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) questionnaire to evaluate their voice self-perception. Vocal loudness (dB) was also assessed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare the outcomes from these measures between the two groups. Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis were applied to explore data patterns related to voice symptoms. RESULTS IwPD reported significantly fewer vocal symptoms than those with GVD in all VoiSS questionnaire domains. Multivariate principal component analysis found no significant correlations between VoiSS scores and participant similarities in voice measures. Despite experiencing hypophonia, IwPD scored lower in all VoiSS domains but still fell in the healthy voice range. Hierarchical Clustering Analysis grouped participants into three distinct categories, primarily based on age, vocal loudness, and VoiSS domain scores, distinguishing between PD and GVD individuals. CONCLUSIONS IwPD reported fewer vocal symptoms than GVD. The voice self-assessment seems to be unreliable to assess vocal symptoms in IwPD, at least regarding loudness. New self-report instruments tailored to PD individuals are needed due to their particular voice characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Contreras-Ruston
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Neuropsychology & Psychopharmacology, Maastricht University, 6229 ER, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department - Universidad de Valparaíso, San Felipe, Chile.
| | - Adrián Castillo-Allendes
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jorge Saavedra-Garrido
- Institute of Statistics, University of Valparaíso, Faculty of Science, Valparaíso, Chile; Department of Meteorology, University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Andrés Felipe Ochoa-Muñoz
- Institute of Statistics, University of Valparaíso, Faculty of Science, Valparaíso, Chile; School of Statistics, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Eric J Hunter
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Sonja A Kotz
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Neuropsychology & Psychopharmacology, Maastricht University, 6229 ER, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Jordi Navarra
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Heller Murray E, Yucel R. Longitudinal Evaluation of Cepstral Peak Prominence in Children. J Voice 2024:S0892-1997(24)00138-3. [PMID: 38760251 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate whether the acoustic measure of cepstral peak prominence changes during typical development in children 2-7. METHODS Data were retrospectively analyzed from the Arizona Child Acoustic Database Repository in this longitudinal cohort study. The Repository contains longitudinal data recordings from 63 total children between 2 and 7 years of age. Thirty-one children met the inclusion criteria for the current analysis (at least five time points of usable speech data, no history of speech or language difficulties, no significant dysphonia, and were monolingual speakers of American English). Cepstral peak prominence measures were calculated in Praat for each child, at each timepoint. Additional acoustic measures of vocal fundamental frequency, vocal intensity, and stimuli length were also calculated. These measures were chosen as previous work has shown they may impact cepstral peak prominence values. RESULTS Linear mixed-effects regression models examined the relationship between cepstral peak prominence and age, after controlling for vocal fundamental frequency, vocal intensity, and stimuli length. Within-participant effects of age were found, indicating a trajectory change in which cepstral peak prominence increases with age in this population. This positive relationship between a cepstral peak prominence and age was nonlinear, with a steeper slope between age and cepstral peak prominence after 5 years of age. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to examine the typical developmental trajectory of cepstral peak prominence children between 2 and 7 years, a critical period of vocal development. Cepstral peak prominence increased with age, suggesting an increase in periodicity of vocal fold vibration that coincides with the significant vocal fold structural changes occurring during this time. Outcomes present important normative information on vocal development, essential for effectively understanding the difference between what vocal changes are part of normative development and what changes indicate a voice disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Heller Murray
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Recai Yucel
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Saghiri MA, Vakhnovetsky J, Amanabi M, Karamifar K, Farhadi M, Amini SB, Conte M. Exploring the impact of type II diabetes mellitus on voice quality. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2024; 281:2707-2716. [PMID: 38319369 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-024-08485-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the potential of voice analysis as a prescreening tool for type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by examining the differences in voice recordings between non-diabetic and T2DM participants. METHODS 60 participants diagnosed as non-diabetic (n = 30) or T2DM (n = 30) were recruited on the basis of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria in Iran between February 2020 and September 2023. Participants were matched according to their year of birth and then placed into six age categories. Using the WhatsApp application, participants recorded the translated versions of speech elicitation tasks. Seven acoustic features [fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR), cepstral peak prominence (CPP), voice onset time (VOT), and formant (F1-F2)] were extracted from each recording and analyzed using Praat software. Data was analyzed with Kolmogorov-Smirnov, two-way ANOVA, post hoc Tukey, binary logistic regression, and student t tests. RESULTS The comparison between groups showed significant differences in fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, CPP, and HNR (p < 0.05), while there were no significant differences in formant and VOT (p > 0.05). Binary logistic regression showed that shimmer was the most significant predictor of the disease group. There was also a significant difference between diabetes status and age, in the case of CPP. CONCLUSIONS Participants with type II diabetes exhibited significant vocal variations compared to non-diabetic controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Saghiri
- Biomaterial and Prosthodontics Laboratory, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, MSB C639A, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
- Department of Endodontics, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Julia Vakhnovetsky
- Sector of Innovation in Dentistry, Dr. Hajar Afsar Lajevardi Research Cluster (DHAL), Hackensack, NJ, USA
- Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA
- University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Kasra Karamifar
- Sector of Innovation in Medicine and Dentistry, Dr. Hajar Afsar Lajevardi Research Cluster (DHAL), Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - Maziar Farhadi
- Sector of Innovation in Medicine and Dentistry, Dr. Hajar Afsar Lajevardi Research Cluster (DHAL), Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - Saeid B Amini
- Dr. Hajar Afsar Lajevardi Research Cluster (DHAL), Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - Michael Conte
- Office for Clinical Affairs, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA
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Low DM, Rao V, Randolph G, Song PC, Ghosh SS. Identifying bias in models that detect vocal fold paralysis from audio recordings using explainable machine learning and clinician ratings. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2024; 3:e0000516. [PMID: 38814939 PMCID: PMC11139298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Detecting voice disorders from voice recordings could allow for frequent, remote, and low-cost screening before costly clinical visits and a more invasive laryngoscopy examination. Our goals were to detect unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) from voice recordings using machine learning, to identify which acoustic variables were important for prediction to increase trust, and to determine model performance relative to clinician performance. Patients with confirmed UVFP through endoscopic examination (N = 77) and controls with normal voices matched for age and sex (N = 77) were included. Voice samples were elicited by reading the Rainbow Passage and sustaining phonation of the vowel "a". Four machine learning models of differing complexity were used. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was used to identify important features. The highest median bootstrapped ROC AUC score was 0.87 and beat clinician's performance (range: 0.74-0.81) based on the recordings. Recording durations were different between UVFP recordings and controls due to how that data was originally processed when storing, which we can show can classify both groups. And counterintuitively, many UVFP recordings had higher intensity than controls, when UVFP patients tend to have weaker voices, revealing a dataset-specific bias which we mitigate in an additional analysis. We demonstrate that recording biases in audio duration and intensity created dataset-specific differences between patients and controls, which models used to improve classification. Furthermore, clinician's ratings provide further evidence that patients were over-projecting their voices and being recorded at a higher amplitude signal than controls. Interestingly, after matching audio duration and removing variables associated with intensity in order to mitigate the biases, the models were able to achieve a similar high performance. We provide a set of recommendations to avoid bias when building and evaluating machine learning models for screening in laryngology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M. Low
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Vishwanatha Rao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gregory Randolph
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Phillip C. Song
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Satrajit S. Ghosh
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Deborah R, Samayan K. Cepstral Analysis of Voice in School-Aged Children. J Voice 2024:S0892-1997(24)00090-0. [PMID: 38677907 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dysphonia in school-aged children is attributed primarily to hyperfunctional use of voice. These can be identified through effective protocols using both acoustic and auditory-perceptual analyses. OBJECTIVE The current study aimed to investigate voice characteristics in school children aged 4-17 years using auditory-perceptual rating and cepstral measures of voice. STUDY DESIGN This is a descriptive cross-sectional observational study. METHOD Four hundred and fifty-seven recordings of sustained phonation of /a/ in children and adolescents obtained in a quiet room using Zoom h1 voice recorder were analyzed using auditory-perceptual evaluation by three speech-language pathologists using Grade of overall dysphonia, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain(GRBAS) rating scale. The samples were classified based on age into five groups: 1) 4 to 6; 11 years 2) 7-8; 11 years, 3) 9-11; 11years 4) 12-13; 11years and 5) 14-16; 11 years. PRAAT software was used to extract Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPP) and Cepstral Peak Prominence Smoothed (CPPS). Inter-rater reliability was assessed for both auditory-perceptual and acoustic analysis. RESULTS Auditory-perceptual analysis revealed dysphonia in 7.8% of samples with higher rate in males than females. Inter-rater reliability for auditory-perceptual rating was found to be good (Intraclass Corelation Coefficient-0.83). Independent t test revealed statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) in both cepstral measures and mean values were lower in dysphonic than normal group. Gender effect was present for CPP in group 5(14-16;11 years) and CPPS in group 4 (12-13; 11 years). One-way analysis of variance within groups in males (P < 0.005) revealed statistical difference in both cepstral measures but not in females. Statistically significant difference was not found between ratings of both speech language pathologists for both CPP (P = 0.929) and CPPS (P = 0.965) values indicating the ratings to be reliable. CONCLUSION Pediatric dysphonia has received less attention when compared to adults. Assessing school-aged children for dysphonia using both auditory-perceptual and acoustic measures would aid in identifying those at risk to make appropriate referrals and plan further intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Deborah
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu District 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Kala Samayan
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu District 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Choi YNC, Martel-Sauvageau V, Breton M, Lavoie M, Laforce R, Bouvier L. Efficacy of LSVT LOUD ® on Phonatory Control and Voice Quality in Patients with Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech: Case Studies. Brain Sci 2024; 14:417. [PMID: 38790396 PMCID: PMC11117832 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by the progressive and initially isolated or predominant onset of difficulties in the planning/programming of movements necessary for speech production and can be accompanied by dysarthria. To date, no study has used an evidence-based treatment to address phonation control in patients with PPAOS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of LSVT LOUD® as a treatment for phonatory control in speakers with PPAOS. Three speakers with PPAOS received LSVT LOUD® therapy, and changes in phonatory control, voice quality and prosody were measured immediately, and one, four and eight weeks after the end of the treatment. Overall, the results suggest that the treatment is feasible and could improve voice quality, intensity, and control in some patients with PPAOS. The generalization of the results is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Nam Candice Choi
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada;
| | - Vincent Martel-Sauvageau
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (V.M.-S.); (R.L.J.)
- CIRRIS—Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, Québec, QC G1M 2S8, Canada;
| | - Myriam Breton
- CIRRIS—Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, Québec, QC G1M 2S8, Canada;
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Monica Lavoie
- Clinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire, Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, Québec, QC G1J 1Z4, Canada;
- Chaire de Recherche sur les Aphasies Primaires Progressives—Fondation de la Famille Lemaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Robert Laforce
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (V.M.-S.); (R.L.J.)
- Clinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire, Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, Québec, QC G1J 1Z4, Canada;
- Chaire de Recherche sur les Aphasies Primaires Progressives—Fondation de la Famille Lemaire, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Liziane Bouvier
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada;
- CRIR—Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation, Montréal, QC H3S 1M9, Canada
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Patel R, Burroughs L, Higgins A, Zauber SE, Isbaine F, Schneider D, Hohman R, Gupta K. Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation of the Ventral Intermediate Nucleus of the Thalamus Improves Objective Acoustic Measures of Essential Vocal Tremor. Neurosurgery 2024:00006123-990000000-01134. [PMID: 38787392 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (VIM-DBS) is an established treatment for medically refractory essential tremor. However, the effect of VIM-DBS on vocal tremor remains poorly understood, with results varying by method of vocal tremor assessment and stimulation laterality. This single-center study measures the effect of bilateral VIM-DBS on essential vocal tremor using blinded objective acoustic voice analysis. METHODS Ten patients with consecutive essential tremor with comorbid vocal tremor receiving bilateral VIM-DBS underwent voice testing before and after implantation of DBS in this prospective cohort study. Objective acoustic measures were extracted from the middle one second of steady-state phonation including cepstral peak prominence, signal-to-noise ratio, percentage voicing, tremor rate, extent of fundamental frequency modulation, and extent of intensity modulation. DBS surgery was performed awake with microelectrode recording and intraoperative testing. Postoperative voice testing was performed after stable programming. RESULTS Patients included 6 female and 4 male, with a mean age of 67 ± 6.7 years. The VIM was targeted with the following coordinates relative to the mid-anterior commissure:posterior commissure point: 13.2 ± 0.6 mm lateral, 6.2 ± 0.7 mm posterior, and 0.0 mm below. Mean programming parameters were amplitude 1.72.0 ± 0.6 mA, pulse width 63.0 ± 12.7 µs, and rate 130.6 ± 0.0 Hz. VIM-DBS significantly improved tremor rate from 4.43 ± 0.8 Hz to 3.2 ± 0.8 Hz (P = .001) CI (0.546, 1.895), jitter from 1 ± 0.94 to 0.53 ± 0.219 (P = .02) CI (-0.124, 1.038), cepstral peak prominence from 13.6 ± 3.9 to 18.8 ± 2.9 (P = .016) CI (-4.100, -0.235), signal-to-noise ratio from 15.7 ± 3.9 to 18.5 ± 3.7 (P = .02) CI (-5.598, -0.037), and articulation rate from 0.77 ± 0.2 to 0.82 ± .14 (P = .04) CI (-0.097, 0.008). There were no major complications in this series. CONCLUSION Objective acoustic voice analyses suggest that bilateral VIM-DBS effectively reduces vocal tremor rate and improves voicing. Further studies using objective acoustic analyses and laryngeal imaging may help refine surgical and stimulation techniques and evaluate the effect of laterality on vocal tremor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Patel
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis/Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Leah Burroughs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Alexis Higgins
- Department of Neurosurgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - S Elizabeth Zauber
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Faical Isbaine
- Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Dylan Schneider
- Department of Neurosurgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Ryane Hohman
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Kunal Gupta
- Department of Neurosurgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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11
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Bruder C, Poeppel D, Larrouy-Maestri P. Perceptual (but not acoustic) features predict singing voice preferences. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8977. [PMID: 38637516 PMCID: PMC11026466 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58924-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Why do we prefer some singers to others? We investigated how much singing voice preferences can be traced back to objective features of the stimuli. To do so, we asked participants to rate short excerpts of singing performances in terms of how much they liked them as well as in terms of 10 perceptual attributes (e.g.: pitch accuracy, tempo, breathiness). We modeled liking ratings based on these perceptual ratings, as well as based on acoustic features and low-level features derived from Music Information Retrieval (MIR). Mean liking ratings for each stimulus were highly correlated between Experiments 1 (online, US-based participants) and 2 (in the lab, German participants), suggesting a role for attributes of the stimuli in grounding average preferences. We show that acoustic and MIR features barely explain any variance in liking ratings; in contrast, perceptual features of the voices achieved around 43% of prediction. Inter-rater agreement in liking and perceptual ratings was low, indicating substantial (and unsurprising) individual differences in participants' preferences and perception of the stimuli. Our results indicate that singing voice preferences are not grounded in acoustic attributes of the voices per se, but in how these features are perceptually interpreted by listeners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Bruder
- Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - David Poeppel
- New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience, Frankfurt, Germany
- Max Planck-NYU Center for Language, Music, and Emotion (CLaME), New York, USA
| | - Pauline Larrouy-Maestri
- Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Max Planck-NYU Center for Language, Music, and Emotion (CLaME), New York, USA
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12
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Morrison RA, Fetzer DT, Patterson-Lachowicz A, McDowell S, Smeltzer JCC, Mau T, Shembel AC. Optical Flow Analysis of Paralaryngeal Muscle Movement. Laryngoscope 2024; 134:1792-1801. [PMID: 37772838 PMCID: PMC10947946 DOI: 10.1002/lary.31063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The paralaryngeal muscles are thought to be hyperfunctional with phonation in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia (pMTD). However, objective, quantitative tools to assess paralaryngeal movement patterns lack. The objectives of this study were to (1) validate the use of optical flow to characterize paralaryngeal movement patterns with phonation, (2) characterize phonatory optical flow velocities and variability of the paralaryngeal muscles before and after a vocal load challenge, and (3) compare phonatory optical flow measures to standard laryngoscopic, acoustic, and self-perceptual assessments. METHODS Phonatory movement velocities and variability of the paralaryngeal muscles at vocal onsets and offsets were quantified from ultrasound videos and optical flow methods across 42 subjects with and without a diagnosis of pMTD, before and after a vocal load challenge. Severity of laryngoscopic mediolateral supraglottic compression, acoustic perturbation, and ratings of vocal effort and discomfort were also obtained at both time points. RESULTS There were no significant differences in optical flow measures of the paralaryngeal muscles with phonation between patients with pMTD and controls. Patients with pMTD had significantly more supraglottic compression, higher acoustic perturbations, and higher vocal effort and vocal tract discomfort ratings. Vocal load had a significant effect on vocal effort and discomfort but not on supraglottic compression, acoustics, or optical flow measures of the paralaryngeal muscles. CONCLUSION Optical flow methods can be used to study paralaryngeal muscle movement velocity and variability patterns during vocal productions, although the role of the paralaryngeal in pMTD diagnostics (e.g., vocal hyperfunction) remains suspect. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Laryngoscope, 134:1792-1801, 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Morrison
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - David T. Fetzer
- Department of Radiology, CACTUS Lab, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Amber Patterson-Lachowicz
- Department of Radiology, CACTUS Lab, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Sarah McDowell
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Julianna C. Comstock Smeltzer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Ted Mau
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck, Center for Voice Care, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Adrianna C. Shembel
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck, Center for Voice Care, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
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13
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Orbelo DM, Charney SA, Renkert E, Pietrowicz M, David Aka, Bayan SL, Ishikawa K. Vocal Effort and Acoustic Analysis of Gargle Phonation Versus Water Swallow in Patients With Muscle Tension Dysphonia: A Clinical Trial. J Voice 2024:S0892-1997(24)00057-2. [PMID: 38519331 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the effects of gargle phonation (GP) on self-perceived vocal improvement, vocal effort, acoustic parameters, and speech rate in patients with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). We hypothesized that GP would improve voice, reduce phonatory effort, and alter acoustic and speech measures. STUDY DESIGN Prospective randomized, single-blind cross-over clinical trial METHODS: Thirty-four participants (26 females, 8 males; average age 53 years) who were diagnosed with MTD completed the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) and were assigned three study conditions: Baseline (B), GP, and Water Swallow (WS; sham), presented in one of two counterbalanced orders B-WS-GP (WS1st) or B-GP-WS (GP1st). Participants recorded stimuli from the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) and rated their perceived vocal effort and vocal improvement. F0, vocal intensity, cepstral peak prominence (CPP), and speaking rate were measured. RESULTS Average VHI-10 scores by group were 16 (min/max 2-29) for WS1st and 15 (min/max 3-40) for GP1st. About 73.5% reported more vocal improvement after GP, 17.65% after WS, and 8.8% noted no difference between conditions. Reduced effort was reported after GP, compared to B (P < 0.001) and WS (P = 0.005). Lower effort was also reported after the WS condition, compared to B (P = 0.011). Key acoustic findings included an increase in F0 after GP for sustained /i/ for females. CPP was significantly higher for females reading CAPE-V sentences after GP, when GP preceded WS, compared to B (P = 0.004) and WS (P = 0.003). Speech rate was faster for females after GP versus B (P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS GP may be beneficial in the treatment of MTD. CPP may be a useful marker for vocal improvement after GP for women with mild MTD. Further studies would benefit from having more male participants and those with moderate and severe MTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M Orbelo
- Mayo Clinic Department of Otolaryngology, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Sara A Charney
- Mayo Clinic Department of Otolaryngology, Phoenix, Arizona
| | | | - Mary Pietrowicz
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
| | - David Aka
- Mayo Clinic Department of Otolaryngology, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Semirra L Bayan
- Mayo Clinic Department of Otolaryngology, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Keiko Ishikawa
- University of Kentucky, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Lexington, Kentucky
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14
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Low DM, Rao V, Randolph G, Song PC, Ghosh SS. Identifying bias in models that detect vocal fold paralysis from audio recordings using explainable machine learning and clinician ratings. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2020.11.23.20235945. [PMID: 33501466 PMCID: PMC7836138 DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.23.20235945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Detecting voice disorders from voice recordings could allow for frequent, remote, and low-cost screening before costly clinical visits and a more invasive laryngoscopy examination. Our goals were to detect unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) from voice recordings using machine learning, to identify which acoustic variables were important for prediction to increase trust, and to determine model performance relative to clinician performance. Methods Patients with confirmed UVFP through endoscopic examination (N=77) and controls with normal voices matched for age and sex (N=77) were included. Voice samples were elicited by reading the Rainbow Passage and sustaining phonation of the vowel "a". Four machine learning models of differing complexity were used. SHapley Additive explanations (SHAP) was used to identify important features. Results The highest median bootstrapped ROC AUC score was 0.87 and beat clinician's performance (range: 0.74 - 0.81) based on the recordings. Recording durations were different between UVFP recordings and controls due to how that data was originally processed when storing, which we can show can classify both groups. And counterintuitively, many UVFP recordings had higher intensity than controls, when UVFP patients tend to have weaker voices, revealing a dataset-specific bias which we mitigate in an additional analysis. Conclusion We demonstrate that recording biases in audio duration and intensity created dataset-specific differences between patients and controls, which models used to improve classification. Furthermore, clinician's ratings provide further evidence that patients were over-projecting their voices and being recorded at a higher amplitude signal than controls. Interestingly, after matching audio duration and removing variables associated with intensity in order to mitigate the biases, the models were able to achieve a similar high performance. We provide a set of recommendations to avoid bias when building and evaluating machine learning models for screening in laryngology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M. Low
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Vishwanatha Rao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregory Randolph
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Phillip C. Song
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Satrajit S. Ghosh
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Mutlu Aİ, Yüksel M. Listening effort, fatigue, and streamed voice quality during online university courses. LOGOP PHONIATR VOCO 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38440900 DOI: 10.1080/14015439.2024.2317789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the impact of listening effort (LE) and fatigue has become increasingly crucial in optimizing the learning experience with the growing prevalence of online classrooms as a mode of instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the LE, fatigue, and voice quality experienced by students during online and face-to-face class sessions. A total of 110 participants with an average age of 20.76 (range 18-28) comprising first year undergraduate students in Speech and Language Therapy and Audiology programs in Turkey, rated their LE during the 2022-2023 spring semester using the Listening Effort Screening Questionnaire (LESQ) and assessed their fatigue with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20). Voice quality of lecturers was assessed using smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS) measurements. Data were collected from both online and face-to-face sessions. The results revealed that participants reported increased LE and fatigue during online sessions compared to face-to-face sessions and the differences were statistically significant. Correlation analysis showed significant relationships (p < 0.05) between audio-video streaming quality and LE-related items in the LESQ, as well as MFI sub-scales and total scores. The findings revealed a relationship between an increased preference for face-to-face classrooms and higher levels of LE and fatigue, emphasizing the significance of these factors in shaping the learning experience. CPPS measurements indicated a dysphonic voice quality during online classroom audio streaming. These findings highlight the challenges of online classes in terms of increased LE, fatigue, and voice quality issues. Understanding these factors is crucial for improving online instruction and student experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayşe İlayda Mutlu
- School of Health Sciences, Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Lokman Hekim University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Yüksel
- School of Health Sciences, Department of Audiology, Ankara Medipol University, Ankara, Turkey
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16
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Castillo-Allendes A, Cantor-Cutiva LC, Hunter EJ. Acoustic Effects of Vocal Warm-Up: A 7-Week Longitudinal Case Study. J Voice 2024; 38:458-465. [PMID: 34844825 PMCID: PMC9133272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A case study was used to determine which acoustic parameters would be sensitive to a SOVT-based vocal warm-up over the duration of a standard voice treatment. METHODS The longitudinal research design consisted of repeated voice measures during 7 weeks from a single subject, a 48-year-old male occupational voice user with a history of voice disorders. A steady phonation and running speech tasks were performed before and after an intensive 1-minute water-resistance voice exercise (WRT). Acoustic assessment of the pre-and postrecordings from each session was obtained with freely accessible software (e.g., Audacity, PRAAT) and acoustic measures (e.g., fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, alpha ratio, NHR, HNR, L1L0, Cepstral Peak Prominence smoothed). RESULTS After WRT, the analysis indicated that jitter, shimmer, and NHR had a small but statistically significant decrease, while alpha ratio, CPPS, and HNR had a statistically significant increase. For the days where there were six repetitions, there was a larger effect in the later repetitions in the day for some metrics (i.e., alpha ratio, shimmer, NHR, CPPS), while others had the biggest effect in the first two repetitions in a day (i.e., jitter, HNR). CONCLUSIONS A short vocal water-resistance voice task had a positive effect on the short-term acoustic voice metrics after each repetition of the exercise, independent of the number of repetitions throughout the day. When five repetitions of this exercise routine occurred, there was a more substantial influence on the proportion of acoustic voice changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Castillo-Allendes
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Lady Catherine Cantor-Cutiva
- Department of Collective Health, Faculty of Nursing, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Speech and Language Pathology Program, Universidad Manuela Beltrán, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Eric J Hunter
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
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17
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Lester-Smith RA, Jebaily CG, Story BH. The Effects of Remote Signal Transmission and Recording on Acoustical Measures of Simulated Essential Vocal Tremor: Considerations for Remote Treatment Research and Telepractice. J Voice 2024; 38:325-336. [PMID: 34702610 PMCID: PMC9033886 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Studies on medical and behavioral interventions for essential vocal tremor (EVT) have shown inconsistent effects on acoustical and perceptual outcome measures across studies and across participants. Remote acoustical and perceptual assessments might facilitate studies with larger samples of participants and repeated measures that could clarify treatment effects and identify optimal treatment candidates. Furthermore, remote acoustical and perceptual assessment might allow clinicians to monitor clients' treatment responses and optimize treatment approaches during telepractice. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of remote signal transmission and recording for acoustical and perceptual assessment of EVT. METHOD Simulations of EVT were produced using a computational model and were recorded using local and remote procedures to represent client- and clinician-end recordings respectively. Acoustical analyses measured the extent and rate of fundamental frequency (fo) and intensity modulation to represent vocal tremor severity and the cepstral peak prominence (CPPS) to represent voice quality. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with recording as the within-subjects factor and sex of the computational model as the between-subjects factor. RESULTS There was a significant main effect of recording on the rate of fo modulation and significant interactions of recording and sex for the extent of intensity modulation, rate of intensity modulation, and CPPS. Posthoc pairwise comparisons and analysis of effect size indicated that recording procedures had the largest effect on the extent of intensity modulation for male simulations, the rate of intensity modulation for male and female simulations, and the CPPS for male and female simulations. Despite having disabled all known software and computer audio enhancing options and having stable ethernet connections, there was inconsistent attenuation of signal amplitude in remote recordings that was most problematic for samples with a breathy voice quality but also affected samples with typical and pressed voice qualities. CONCLUSIONS Acoustical measures that correlate to perception of vocal tremor and voice quality were altered by remote signal transmission and recording. In particular, signal transmission and recording in Zoom altered time-based estimates of intensity modulation and CPPS with male and female simulations of EVT and magnitude-based estimates of intensity modulation with male simulations of EVT. In contrast, signal transmission and recording in Zoom minimally altered time- and magnitude-based estimates of fo modulation with male and female simulations of EVT. Therefore, acoustical and perceptual assessments of EVT should be performed using audio recordings that are collected locally on the participant- or client-end, particularly when measuring modulation of intensity and CPP or estimating vocal tremor severity and voice quality. Development of procedures for collecting local audio recordings in remote settings may expand data collection for treatment research and enhance telepractice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary A Lester-Smith
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
| | - Charles G Jebaily
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas; Texas NeuroRehab Center, Austin, Texas
| | - Brad H Story
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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18
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Ma EPM, Cheung YC, Siu AKY, Lo JFW. The Effectiveness of Vocal Hygiene Education With Resonant Voice Therapy for School-Aged Children With Vocal Nodules. J Voice 2024; 38:538.e23-538.e30. [PMID: 34785116 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the effectiveness of vocal hygiene education with resonant voice therapy for school-aged children with vocal nodules. STUDY DESIGN A pre-test/post-test control group design was employed. METHODS Seventeen children aged between 6 and 9 years old with vocal nodules were randomly assigned to three groups: a treatment group, a placebo group and a control group. Children in the treatment group (n = 7) received six consecutive, weekly, one-hour sessions of vocal hygiene education with resonant voice therapy. Children in the placebo group (n = 5) received six consecutive, weekly, one-hour sessions on presentation skills training. Children in the control group (n = 5) did not receive any form of treatment. Subjective outcome measures included auditory-perceptual evaluation of overall dysphonia severity, the Pediatric Voice Handicap Index (pVHI) and the Children's Voice Handicap Index-10 (CVHI-10). Objective outcome measures included acoustic analysis of fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer and noise-to-harmonic ratio. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Significant improvements in perceptual ratings of overall dysphonia severity levels and pVHI scores were found in the treatment group. No significant changes in acoustic measures and CVHI-10 scores were noted in any of the three groups. Interestingly, an improvement in perceptual overall dysphonia severity levels at post-evaluation was observed in the no treatment control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estella P-M Ma
- Voice Research Laboratory, Unit of Human Communication, Development and Information Sciences, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
| | - Yan-Chi Cheung
- Voice Research Laboratory, Unit of Human Communication, Development and Information Sciences, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Alice K-Y Siu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head-and-Neck Surgery, Kowloon East Cluster, affiliated academic unit of Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head-and-Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jacky F-W Lo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head-and-Neck Surgery, Kowloon East Cluster, affiliated academic unit of Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head-and-Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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19
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Wei M, Zhang N, Du J, Zhang S, Li L, Wang W. Effect of Smoking on Cepstral Parameters. J Voice 2024:S0892-1997(23)00416-2. [PMID: 38310079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Smoking exerts certain damage to the voice, which affects sound characteristics. This study explored the effects of smoking, smoking time, and smoking amount on cepstral parameters. We collected the acoustic signals of sustained vowels in 301 participants (135 smokers and 166 nonsmokers). The cepstral parameters, including cepstral peak prominence (CPP), CPP standard deviation (CPP SD), low to high-frequency spectral ratio (L/H), low to high-frequency spectral ratio standard deviation (L/H SD), and voice disorder cepstral/spectral index of dysphonia (CSID), of the sustained vowels were investigated through the analysis of dysphonia in speech and voice (ADSV) application. The effects of smoking on these parameters were explored. The influences of smoking time and smoking amount on cepstral parameters were also analyzed by multiple linear regression. The CPP and L/H values in the smoking group were lower than those in the nonsmoking group (CPP: P < 0.001, L/H: P = 0.033) and negatively correlated with smoking time (CPP: R2 = 0.3828, P < 0.0001; L/H: R2 = 0.02996, P = 0.0447) and smoking amount (CPP: R2 < 0.4526, P < 0.0001; L/H: R2 = 0.08823, P = 0.00005). The CPP SD, L/H SD, and CSID values in the smoking group were higher than those in the nonsmoking group (CPP SD: P = 0.006, L/H SD: P = 0.034, CSID: P < 0.001) and positively correlated with smoking time (CPP SD: R2 = 0.03648, P = 0.0265, L/H SD: R2 = 0.09121, P = 0.0004, CSID: R2 = 0.01247, P = 0.1972) and smoking amount (CPP SD: R2 = 0.05495, P = 0.0062, L/H SD: R2 = 0.1316, P < 0.0001, CSID: R2 = 0.03851, P = 0.0225). Compared with other cepstral parameters, smoking time and smoking volume had the greatest impact on CPP (smoking time: R2 = 0.385, smoking amount: R2 = 0.443). This study confirmed that smoking has a significant effect on cepstral parameters. Compared with the cepstral parameters of nonsmokers, an increase in smoking time and smoking volume increases the abnormality of the cepstral parameters of smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Wei
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine,Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, 300192 Tianjin, China; Institute of Otolaryngology of Tianjin, Tianjin, China; Key Laboratory of Auditory Speech and Balance Medicine, Tianjin, China; Key Medical Discipline of Tianjin (Otolaryngology), Tianjin, China; Quality Control Centre of Otolaryngology, Tianjin, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, 300192 Tianjin, China; Institute of Otolaryngology of Tianjin, Tianjin, China; Key Laboratory of Auditory Speech and Balance Medicine, Tianjin, China; Key Medical Discipline of Tianjin (Otolaryngology), Tianjin, China; Quality Control Centre of Otolaryngology, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianqun Du
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, 300192 Tianjin, China; Institute of Otolaryngology of Tianjin, Tianjin, China; Key Laboratory of Auditory Speech and Balance Medicine, Tianjin, China; Key Medical Discipline of Tianjin (Otolaryngology), Tianjin, China; Quality Control Centre of Otolaryngology, Tianjin, China
| | - Shengchi Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, 300192 Tianjin, China; Institute of Otolaryngology of Tianjin, Tianjin, China; Key Laboratory of Auditory Speech and Balance Medicine, Tianjin, China; Key Medical Discipline of Tianjin (Otolaryngology), Tianjin, China; Quality Control Centre of Otolaryngology, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, 300192 Tianjin, China; Institute of Otolaryngology of Tianjin, Tianjin, China; Key Laboratory of Auditory Speech and Balance Medicine, Tianjin, China; Key Medical Discipline of Tianjin (Otolaryngology), Tianjin, China; Quality Control Centre of Otolaryngology, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, 300192 Tianjin, China; Institute of Otolaryngology of Tianjin, Tianjin, China; Key Laboratory of Auditory Speech and Balance Medicine, Tianjin, China; Key Medical Discipline of Tianjin (Otolaryngology), Tianjin, China; Quality Control Centre of Otolaryngology, Tianjin, China.
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Crocker C, Toles LE, Morrison RA, Shembel AC. Relationships Between Vocal Fold Adduction Patterns, Vocal Acoustic Quality, and Vocal Effort in Individuals With and Without Hyperfunctional Voice Disorders. J Voice 2024:S0892-1997(23)00405-8. [PMID: 38195336 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Increased vocal effort and aberrant vocal quality are often attributed to vocal fold hyperadduction in hyperfunctional voice disorders. However, there are currently no established methods to quantify vocal fold adduction beyond subjective descriptors in this clinical population. Furthermore, relationships between vocal fold adduction patterns, vocal effort severity, and vocal quality are not well characterized. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) quantify vocal fold adduction, applying a previously validated method developed for patients with vocal fold paralysis, and (2) correlate these measures with acoustic vocal quality and self-perceived measures of vocal effort severity. METHODS A deep learning program, Automated Glottic Action Tracking using artificial Intelligence, was used to track glottic angle configurations and vocal fold adduction velocities on laryngoscopic videos across 60 laryngoscopies (20 primary muscle tension dysphonia [pMTD], 20 phonotraumatic lesions, and 20 healthy controls). Voice samples were also acquired, and cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and H1-H2 acoustic measures were used to quantify vocal quality. Participants were also asked to rate their vocal effort on a 100 mm visual analog scale. RESULTS There were no significant group differences in glottic angle configurations or vocal fold adduction velocities, although there were trends toward increased peak vocal fold adduction velocities in patients with hyperfunctional voice disorders compared to controls. Vocal effort was significantly higher in the two hyperfunctional groups compared to controls. CPP was significantly lower in the pMTD group, but there were no group differences in acoustic parameters between any of the other groups or for H1-H2 values. CONCLUSION Despite significantly more vocal effort reported in patients with hyperfunctional voice disorders, there were no significant group differences in vocal fold adduction patterns. These findings suggest other physiologic mechanisms may also be responsible for the symptoms and genesis of pMTD and benign vocal fold lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Crocker
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
| | - Laura E Toles
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Voice Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Robert A Morrison
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
| | - Adrianna C Shembel
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Voice Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
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21
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Houle N, Feaster T, Mira A, Meeks K, Stepp CE. Sex Differences in the Speech of Persons With and Without Parkinson's Disease. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024; 33:96-116. [PMID: 37889201 PMCID: PMC11000784 DOI: 10.1044/2023_ajslp-22-00350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences are apparent in the prevalence and the clinical presentation of Parkinson's disease (PD), but their effects on speech have been less studied. METHOD Speech acoustics of persons with (34 females and 34 males) and without (age- and sex-matched) PD were examined, assessing the effects of PD diagnosis and sex on ratings of dysarthria severity and acoustic measures of phonation (fundamental frequency standard deviation, smoothed cepstral peak prominence), speech rate (net syllables per second, percent pause ratio), and articulation (articulatory-acoustic vowel space, release burst precision). RESULTS Most measures were affected by PD (dysarthria severity, fundamental frequency standard deviation) and sex (smoothed cepstral peak prominence, net syllables per second, percent pause ratio, articulatory-acoustic vowel space), but without interactions between them. Release burst precision was differentially affected by sex in PD. Relative to those without PD, persons with PD produced fewer plosives with a single burst: females more frequently produced multiple bursts, whereas males more frequently produced no burst at all. CONCLUSIONS Most metrics did not indicate that speech production is differentially affected by sex in PD. Sex was, however, associated with disparate effects on release burst precision in PD, which deserves further study. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24388666.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole Houle
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Taylor Feaster
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Amna Mira
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kirsten Meeks
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
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22
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Toles LE, Shembel AC. Acoustic and Physiologic Correlates of Vocal Effort in Individuals With and Without Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024; 33:237-247. [PMID: 37931092 PMCID: PMC11000796 DOI: 10.1044/2023_ajslp-23-00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to determine relationships between vocal effort and (a) acoustic correlates of vocal output and (b) supraglottic compression in individuals with primary muscle tension dysphonia (pMTD) and without voice disorders (controls) in the context of a vocal load challenge. METHOD Twenty-six individuals with pMTD and 35 vocally healthy controls participated in a 30-min vocal load challenge. The pre- and postload relationships among self-ratings of vocal effort, various acoustic voice measures, and supraglottic compression (mediolateral and anteroposterior) were tested with multiple regression models and post hoc Pearson's correlations. Acoustic measures included cepstral peak prominence (CPP), low-to-high spectral ratio, difference in intensity between the first two harmonics, fundamental frequency, and sound pressure level (dB SPL). RESULTS Regression models for CPP and mediolateral compression were statistically significant. Vocal effort, diagnosis of pMTD, and vocal demand were each significant variables influencing CPP measures. CPP was lower in the pMTD group across stages. There was no statistical change in CPP following the vocal load challenge within either group, but both groups had an increase in vocal effort postload. Vocal effort and diagnosis influenced the mediolateral compression model. Mediolateral compression was higher in the pMTD group across stages and had a negative relationship with vocal effort, but it did not differ after vocal loading. CONCLUSIONS CPP and mediolateral supraglottic compression were influenced by vocal effort and diagnosis of pMTD. Increased vocal effort was associated with lower CPP, particularly after vocal load, and decreased mediolateral supraglottic compression in the pMTD group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Toles
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Adrianna C. Shembel
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson
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23
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Schneider SL, Habich L, Weston ZM, Rosen CA. Observations and Considerations for Implementing Remote Acoustic Voice Recording and Analysis in Clinical Practice. J Voice 2024; 38:69-76. [PMID: 34366193 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Remote voice recording and acoustic analysis allow for comprehensive voice assessment and outcome tracking without the requirements of travel to the clinic, in-person visit, or expensive equipment. This paper delineates the process and considerations for implementing remote voice recording and acoustic analysis in a high-volume university voice clinic. STUDY DESIGN Clinical Focus. METHODS Acoustic voice recordings were attempted on 108 unique patients over a 6-month period using a remote voice recording phone application. Development of the clinical process including determining normative data in which to compare acoustic results, clinician training, and clinical application is described. The treating Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) were surveyed 2 months after implementation to assess ease of application, identify challenges and assess implementation of potential solutions. RESULTS Of 108 unique patients, 83 patients were successful in completing the process of synchronous remote acoustic voice recording in conjunction with their SLP clinician. The process of downloading the application, setting up, and obtaining voice recordings was most commonly 10-20 minutes according to the 8 SLPs surveyed. Challenges and helpful techniques were identified. CONCLUSIONS Remote acoustic voice recordings have allowed SLPs to continue to complete a comprehensive voice evaluation in a telepractice model. Given emerging knowledge about the viability of remote voice recordings, the success in obtaining acoustic data remotely, and the accessibility of a low-cost app for SLPs makes remote voice recordings a viable option to facilitate remote clinical care and research investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Schneider
- UCSF Voice and Swallowing Center, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
| | - Laura Habich
- UCSF Voice and Swallowing Center, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Zoe M Weston
- UCSF Voice and Swallowing Center, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Clark A Rosen
- UCSF Voice and Swallowing Center, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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24
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Cantor-Cutiva LC, Ramani SA, Walden PR, Hunter EJ. Screening of Voice Pathologies: Identifying the Predictive Value of Voice Acoustic Parameters for Common Voice Pathologies. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00390-9. [PMID: 38143203 PMCID: PMC11193840 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Voice acoustic analysis is important for objectively assessing voice production and diagnosing voice disorders. AIM This study aimed to investigate the sensitivity of various voice acoustic parameters in differentiating common voice pathology types. METHODS Data from the publicly available Perceptual Voice Qualities Database were analyzed; the database includes recordings of participants with and without voice disorders. A wide range of acoustic parameters was estimated from the recordings, such as alpha ratio, harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), cepstral peak prominence smoothed (CPPS), pitch period entropy (PPE), fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and sound pressure levels. The predictive capabilities of the parameters were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Linear regression analysis determined the associations between parameters and voice disorders. Principal component analysis was conducted to identify important parameters for distinguishing voice disorders. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION This study has identified significant differences in acoustic parameters between those with and without voice disorders. Notably, the combination of five parameters-namely, PPE, shimmer, jitter, CPPS, and HNR-was identified as a strong predictor in voice disorder screening. These findings contribute substantially to the field of voice disorders, offering valuable insights for screening and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sai Aishwarya Ramani
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | | | - Eric J Hunter
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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25
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Uloza V, Pribuišis K, Ulozaite-Staniene N, Petrauskas T, Damaševičius R, Maskeliūnas R. Accuracy Analysis of the Multiparametric Acoustic Voice Indices, the VWI, AVQI, ABI, and DSI Measures, in Differentiating between Normal and Dysphonic Voices. J Clin Med 2023; 13:99. [PMID: 38202106 PMCID: PMC10779457 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate and compare the accuracy and robustness of the multiparametric acoustic voice indices (MAVIs), namely the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI), Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI), Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI), and Voice Wellness Index (VWI) measures in differentiating normal and dysphonic voices. The study group consisted of 129 adult individuals including 49 with normal voices and 80 patients with pathological voices. The diagnostic accuracy of the investigated MAVI in differentiating between normal and pathological voices was assessed using receiver operating characteristics (ROC). Moderate to strong positive linear correlations were observed between different MAVIs. The ROC statistical analysis revealed that all used measurements manifested in a high level of accuracy (area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80 and greater) and an acceptable level of sensitivity and specificity in discriminating between normal and pathological voices. However, with AUC 0.99, the VWI demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy. The highest Youden index equaled 0.93, revealing that a VWI cut-off of 4.45 corresponds with highly acceptable sensitivity (97.50%) and specificity (95.92%). In conclusion, the VWI was found to be beneficial in describing differences in voice quality status and discriminating between normal and dysphonic voices based on clinical diagnosis, i.e., dysphonia type, implying the VWI's reliable voice screening potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virgilijus Uloza
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 50061 Kaunas, Lithuania; (V.U.); (K.P.); (T.P.)
| | - Kipras Pribuišis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 50061 Kaunas, Lithuania; (V.U.); (K.P.); (T.P.)
| | - Nora Ulozaite-Staniene
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 50061 Kaunas, Lithuania; (V.U.); (K.P.); (T.P.)
| | - Tadas Petrauskas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 50061 Kaunas, Lithuania; (V.U.); (K.P.); (T.P.)
| | | | - Rytis Maskeliūnas
- Faculty of Informatics, Kaunas University of Technology, 51368 Kaunas, Lithuania
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Nayebian R, Darouie A, Hasanvand A, Vahedi M. Cepstral and Perceptual Investigations of Voice in Speech and Language Pathologists with Vocal Fatigue. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2023; 75:3696-3702. [PMID: 37974796 PMCID: PMC10645846 DOI: 10.1007/s12070-023-04048-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal fatigue is known as a hyperfunctional voice disorder that can lead to other conditions, such as muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). Speech and language pathologists (SLPs) are professional voice users who may suffer from vocal fatigue due to heavy vocal demands. This study aimed at investigating the cepstral and perceptual dimensions of voice and their correlation in the SLPs with vocal fatigue. Twenty-six SLPs and senior speech therapy students (mean age = 27.11 ± 6.8 yrs), including men (n = 5) and women (n = 21), participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. They had vocal fatigue according to the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI). In acoustic assessment, cepstral analysis (CPP and CPPS) was performed using Praat software. The Persian version of Consensus Auditory Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) was used to evaluate the overall severity of dysphonia. The correlation between these two evaluations was also investigated using IBM SPSS Statistics software version 23. Results revealed that the mean CPPS (13.716 ± 2.084) was lower than the cutoff point. Perceptual findings indicated that the mean overall severity (10.557 ± 11.210) fell in the normal variability of voice quality (NVVQ) range. In addition, cepstral and perceptual evaluations had no significant correlation (P > 0/05). The findings showed that auditory-perceptual evaluation considered the gold standard method of voice evaluation, cannot solely identify vocal fatigue. However, cepstral measures can help provide a more objective profile of vocal function in SLPs with vocal fatigue. Therefore, both of these evaluations are recommended for voice assessment of vocal fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rezvane Nayebian
- Department of Speech Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Akbar Darouie
- Department of Speech Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arezoo Hasanvand
- Department of Speech Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Vahedi
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Psychosis Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Shembel AC, Morrison RA, Fetzer DT, Patterson-Lachowicz A, McDowell S, Comstock Smeltzer JC, Mau T. Extrinsic Laryngeal Muscle Tension in Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia with Shear Wave Elastography. Laryngoscope 2023; 133:3482-3491. [PMID: 37334857 PMCID: PMC10728340 DOI: 10.1002/lary.30830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES It has been assumed that patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia (pMTD) have more extrinsic laryngeal muscle (ELM) tension, but tools to study this phenomenon lack. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a potential method to address these shortcomings. The objectives of this study were to apply SWE to the ELMs, compare SWE measures to standard clinical metrics, and determine group differences in pMTD and typical voice users before and after vocal load. METHODS SWE measurements of the ELMs from ultrasound examinations of the anterior neck, supraglottic compression severities from laryngoscopic images, cepstral peak prominences (CPP) from voice recordings, and self-perceptual ratings of vocal effort and discomfort were obtained in voice users with (N = 30) and without (N = 35) pMTD, before and after a vocal load challenge. RESULTS ELM tension significantly increased from rest-to-voiced conditions in both groups. However, the groups were similar in their ELM stiffness levels at SWE at baseline, during vocalization, and post-vocal load. Levels of vocal effort and discomfort and supraglottic compression were significantly higher and CPP was significantly lower in the pMTD group. Vocal load had a significant effect on vocal effort and discomfort but not on laryngeal or acoustic patterns. CONCLUSION SWE can be used to quantify ELM tension with voicing. Although the pMTD group reported significantly higher levels of vocal effort and vocal tract discomfort and, on average, exhibited significantly more severe supraglottic compression and lower CPP values, there were no group differences in levels of ELM tension using SWE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Laryngoscope, 133:3482-3491, 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna C. Shembel
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck, Voice Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Robert A. Morrison
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - David T. Fetzer
- Department of Radiology, CACTUS Lab, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Amber Patterson-Lachowicz
- Department of Radiology, CACTUS Lab, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Sarah McDowell
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Julianna C. Comstock Smeltzer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Ted Mau
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck, Voice Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
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Ghosh N, Eidson E, Derrick E, Lester-Smith RA. Breathy Voice as a Compensatory Strategy for Essential Vocal Tremor: A Single Case Experiment Across Participants. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00311-9. [PMID: 38007363 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Essential vocal tremor (EVT) manifests as nearly rhythmic modulations of fundamental frequency (fo) and intensity and causes a shaky voice. Although research on behavioral therapy for EVT is limited, previous studies have shown that a breathy voice reduces the perception of simulated EVT and might be an effective compensatory strategy. The current study aimed to measure the acoustical and perceptual effects of a breathy voice strategy in speakers with EVT. STUDY DESIGN A single-case experimental design (SCED) was used to investigate acoustical effects, and a pair comparison listening task was used to investigate perceptual effects. METHODS Three participants with EVT matched five different levels of breathiness produced by a computational model. Acoustical analyses of the rate and extent of fo and intensity modulation were performed to estimate EVT severity for baseline and treatment trials. Statistical analyses were completed using Tau-U. Twenty novice listeners participated in the perceptual study to determine if treatment trials sounded less "shaky" than baseline trials. Statistical analyses were completed using one sample t tests. RESULTS The acoustical effects were variable across different levels of breathiness for all three participants. All participants were able to adjust their levels of breathiness based on auditory models and verbal cues but did not achieve the target levels of breathiness. Listeners did not perceive the breathy trials to be less "shaky" than baseline trials for any level of breathiness. CONCLUSION The breathy voice strategy had variable effects on the acoustical measures of EVT, supporting the use of a single-case experimental design to investigate the effectiveness of behavioral treatment for EVT. Listeners perceived breathy trials to be "shakier" than baseline trials, which was inconsistent with our hypothesis and previous studies of EVT. Future research should evaluate the use of a breathy voice in speakers with confirmed laryngeal tremor, optimize cueing for breathiness, and provide more opportunities to practice the breathy strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayanika Ghosh
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
| | - Elizabeth Eidson
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Elaina Derrick
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Rosemary A Lester-Smith
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
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Uloza V, Ulozaitė-Stanienė N, Petrauskas T, Pribuišis K, Ulozienė I, Blažauskas T, Damaševičius R, Maskeliūnas R. Smartphone-Based Voice Wellness Index Application for Dysphonia Screening and Assessment: Development and Reliability. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00330-2. [PMID: 37980209 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a Voice Wellness Index (VWI) application combining the acoustic voice quality index (AVQI) and glottal function index (GFI) data and to evaluate its reliability in quantitative voice assessment and normal versus pathological voice differentiation. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS A total of 135 adult participants (86 patients with voice disorders and 49 patients with normal voices) were included in this study. Five iOS and Android smartphones with the "Voice Wellness Index" app installed were used to estimate VWI. The VWI data obtained using smartphones were compared with VWI measurements computed from voice recordings collected from a reference studio microphone. The diagnostic efficacy of VWI in differentiating between normal and disordered voices was assessed using receiver operating characteristics (ROC). RESULTS With a Cronbach's alpha of 0.972 and an ICC of 0.972 (0.964-0.979), the VWI scores of the individual smartphones demonstrated remarkable inter-smartphone agreement and reliability. The VWI data obtained from different smartphones and a studio microphone showed nearly perfect direct linear correlations (r = 0.993-0.998). Depending on the individual smartphone device used, the cutoff scores of VWI related to differentiating between normal and pathological voice groups were calculated as 5.6-6.0 with the best balance between sensitivity (94.10-95.15%) and specificity (93.68-95.72%), The diagnostic accuracy was excellent in all cases, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.970-0.974. CONCLUSION The "Voice Wellness Index" application is an accurate and reliable tool for voice quality measurement and normal versus pathological voice screening and has considerable potential to be used by healthcare professionals and patients for voice assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virgilijus Uloza
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Nora Ulozaitė-Stanienė
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Tadas Petrauskas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Kipras Pribuišis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Ingrida Ulozienė
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Tomas Blažauskas
- Faculty of Informatics, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | | | - Rytis Maskeliūnas
- Faculty of Informatics, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Paiva GM, Silva POC, Silva LJAD, Nascimento KA, Silva ABDVE, Abreu SRD, Almeida AAFD, Lopes LW. Spectral and cepstral measurements in women with behavioral dysphonia. Codas 2023; 36:e20220327. [PMID: 37970895 DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20232022327pt] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate whether there are differences in cepstral and spectral acoustic measures between women with behavioral dysphonia with and without laryngeal lesions and verify whether there is a correlation between such measures and the auditory-perceptual evaluation of voice quality. METHODS The sample comprised 78 women with behavioral dysphonia without laryngeal lesions (BDWOL) and 68 with behavioral dysphonia with laryngeal lesions (vocal nodules) (BDWL). Cepstral peak prominence (CPP), cepstral peak prominence-smoothed (CPPS), spectral decrease, and H1-H2 (difference between the amplitude of the first and second harmonics) were extracted. They were submitted to the auditory-perceptual evaluation (APE) of the grade of hoarseness (GH), roughness (RO), breathiness (BR), and strain (ST). RESULTS BDWL women had higher H1-H2 values and lower CPP and CPPS values than BDWOL women. More deviant voices had lower CPP and CPPS values. Breathy voices had lower CPP and CPPS values and higher H1-H2 values than rough ones. There was a weak negative correlation between CPP and RO, a moderate negative correlation with GH, and a strong negative correlation with BR. CPPS had a moderate negative correlation with GH, RO, and BR. H1-H2 had a weak positive correlation with BR. There was a weak positive correlation between spectral decrease and ST. CONCLUSION H1-H2, CPP, and CPPS were different between BDWOL and BDWL women. Furthermore, cepstral and spectral measures were correlated with the different APE parameters.
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Heller Murray ES, Chao A. The Relationships Among Vocal Variability, Vocal-Articulatory Coordination, and Dysphonia in Children. J Voice 2023; 37:969.e43-969.e49. [PMID: 34272144 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between vocal variability and variability of vocal-articulatory coordination in children. Furthermore, this study examined if this relationship was impacted by pediatric dysphonia. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective analysis of speech samples in the Arizona Child Acoustic Database. METHODS Speech samples from children 2-7 years of age were selected for analysis. Vocal variability was defined as the coefficient of variation (CoV) of fundamental frequency, taken from the center of sustained vowels. Variability of vocal-articulatory coordination was defined as the CoV of voice onset time (VOT) of voiceless stop consonants. Both objective and subjective measures of dysphonia were completed for each participant. RESULTS Children had a negative correlation between VOT variability and vocal variability. Further analysis indicated that this relationship was present in children with typical developmental levels of dysphonia but absent for children with moderate to severe dysphonia. Increased dysphonia severity was associated with increased vocal variability. CONCLUSION Increased VOT variability was associated with decreased vocal variability in children with dysphonia severities consistent with typical vocal development. However, this relationship was not present in children with moderate to severe dysphonia. This study suggests that future work is needed to examine the relationships between the vocal system and vocal-articulatory coordination in children with and without diagnosed voice disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andie Chao
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Tsai MJ, Wang CT, Fu S, Lin FC. Effect of intensive water resistance phonation therapy for people with presbyphonia: A pilot study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2023:1-9. [PMID: 37908078 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2023.2261660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this pilot study was to explore the efficacy of an intensive 3 week water resistance phonation (WRP) therapy program for people with presbyphonia.Method: Participants included 13 people with presbyphonia who received intensive WRP therapy. All participants completed eight sessions of therapy over 3 weeks. Auditory perceptual ratings, and acoustic and aerodynamic assessments were performed before and after treatment. Participants also completed the voice-related quality of life questionnaire before and after the treatment.Result: After 3 weeks of intensive voice therapy, significant improvements were demonstrated in acoustic, aerodynamic, and auditory perceptual parameters, as well as patient perceptions of voice-related quality of life. Acoustically, it was found there were significant decreases in shimmer (p = 0.019), noise-to-harmonic ratio (p = 0.016), and smoothed cepstral peak prominence (p = 0.001). Perceptually, the clients with presbyphonia showed significant reductions in the ratings of the overall grade, roughness, asthenia, and strain. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the total score of the Mandarin version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life measure post-therapy.Conclusion: The investigation provides preliminary evidence that people with presbyphonia can improve their vocal function and voice-related quality of life through intensive WRP therapy within a short period of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Jhen Tsai
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Te Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Electric Engineering, Yuan-Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Sherry Fu
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Lower School, Taipei American School, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Chuan Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
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Bruder C, Larrouy-Maestri P. Classical singers are also proficient in non-classical singing. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1215370. [PMID: 38023013 PMCID: PMC10630913 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1215370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Classical singers train intensively for many years to achieve a high level of vocal control and specific sound characteristics. However, the actual span of singers' activities often includes venues other than opera halls and requires performing in styles outside their strict training (e.g., singing pop songs at weddings). We examine classical singers' ability to adjust their vocal productions to other styles, in relation with their formal training. Twenty-two highly trained female classical singers (aged from 22 to 45 years old; vocal training ranging from 4.5 to 27 years) performed six different melody excerpts a cappella in contrasting ways: as an opera aria, as a pop song and as a lullaby. All melodies were sung both with lyrics and with a /lu/ sound. All productions were acoustically analyzed in terms of seven common acoustic descriptors of voice/singing performances and perceptually evaluated by a total of 50 lay listeners (aged from 21 to 73 years old) who were asked to identify the intended singing style in a forced-choice lab experiment. Acoustic analyses of the 792 performances suggest distinct acoustic profiles, implying that singers were able to produce contrasting sounding performances. Furthermore, the high overall style recognition rate (78.5% Correct Responses, hence CR) confirmed singers' proficiency in performing in operatic style (86% CR) and their versatility when it comes to lullaby (80% CR) and pop performances (69% CR), albeit with occasional confusion between the latter two. Interestingly, different levels of competence among singers appeared, with versatility (as estimated based on correct recognition in pop/lullaby styles) ranging from 62 to 83% depending on the singer. Importantly, this variability was not linked to formal training per se. Our results indicate that classical singers are versatile, and prompt the need for further investigations to clarify the role of singers' broader professional and personal experiences in the development of this valuable ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Bruder
- Department of Music, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Pauline Larrouy-Maestri
- Department of Music, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Max Planck-NYU Center for Language, Music, and Emotion (CLaME), New York, NY, United States
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da Silva ACF, de Araújo Lima-Filho LM, Almeida AA, Coêlho HFC, Ribeiro VV, Lopes LW. Spectrographic Voice Analysis Protocol (SAP): Convergent, Concurrent, and Accuracy Validity. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00283-7. [PMID: 37863674 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To verify the convergent and concurrent validity of the Spectrographic Voice Analysis Protocol (SAP) and its accuracy to discriminate dysphonic from nondysphonic patients. METHOD The study used 82 vowel /Ɛ/ samples and their respective narrowband spectrograms, analyzed with SAP. Cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and cepstral peak prominence smoothed (CPPS) verified the convergent validity of the SAP total score, while the general grade of vocal deviation (GG) verified the concurrent validity of the SAP total score. The ROC (receive operator curve) curve and its accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity values, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), and positive likelihood ratio (LR+) and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) verified the accuracy of the SAP score to discriminate dysphonic from nondysphonic individuals. RESULTS Dysphonic and nondysphonic had different SAP total scores. In the convergent validity, the SAP score had a weak and moderate negative correlation, respectively, with CPP and CPPS, as well as a moderate positive correlation with GG. SAP performed well in discriminating dysphonic from nondysphonic individuals (area under the curve = 82.0%; sensitivity = 91.7%; specificity = 51.7%; PPV = 93.7%; NPV = 44.0%; LR+ = 6.21; LR- = 0.53) based on the 8-point cutoff score. CONCLUSION SAP has convergent validity with CPP and CPPS and concurrent validity with GG. The SAP total score performed well in discriminating dysphonic from nondysphonic individuals. However, the specificity, NPV, and LR- values justify cautiously using SAP, always in combination with other information in clinical voice assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anna Alice Almeida
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Decision Models and Health Program, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
| | | | - Vanessa Veis Ribeiro
- Universidade de Brasília (UNB), Speech-Language and Hearing Department, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Wanderley Lopes
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Decision Models and Health Program, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
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Hofman EC, Dassie-Leite AP, Martins PDN, Pereira EC. Acoustic measurements of CPPS and AVQI pre and post speech therapy. Codas 2023; 35:e20220136. [PMID: 37672413 PMCID: PMC10547137 DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20232022136pt] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare the acoustic measurements of Cepstral Peak Prominence-Smoothed (CPPS) and Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) at pre- and post-voice therapy times. METHODS This is a before and after intervention study, with retrospective data collection. Twenty-two subjects with a mean age of 49.9 years participated in the study. The vocal therapy occurred between the years 2016 to 2019 in a teaching clinic, and the subjects had vocal samples collected before and after the therapeutic processes. CPPS and AVQI data extractions were performed during pre- and post-therapy. In order to characterize the sample, auditory-perceptual evaluation (APE) regarding the overall degree of vocal deviation at pre- and post-therapy moments was performed. The data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS The APE data indicated a decrease in the median values of overall vocal deviation degree at the post-therapy stage for both the vowel (p=0.00) and number (p=0.00) samples. The average CPPS for the vowel was 14.53 pre-therapy and 16.37 post-therapy (p=0.01); for the number emission, it was 8.22 pre-therapy and 9.06 post-therapy (p=0.02), there was a difference in the CPPS of the vowel and numbers indicating vocal improvement at post-therapy. The average AVQI was 2.27 pre-therapy and 1.54 post-therapy (p=0.05). There was an improvement in the AVQI results, with borderline p-value. CONCLUSION Vocal therapy produced changes in the general degree of vocal deviation, as well as in CPPS and AVQI measurements, and the results at the post-therapy moment are similar to those of vocally healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduarda Cristina Hofman
- Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO - Irati (PR), Brasil.
| | - Ana Paula Dassie-Leite
- Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO - Irati (PR), Brasil.
| | | | - Eliane Cristina Pereira
- Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO - Irati (PR), Brasil.
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Hofman EC, Dassie-Leite AP, Martins PDN, Pereira EC. Acoustic measurements of CPPS and AVQI pre and post speech therapy. Codas 2023; 35:e20220136. [PMID: 37672413 PMCID: PMC10547137 DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20232022136en] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare the acoustic measurements of Cepstral Peak Prominence-Smoothed (CPPS) and Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) at pre- and post-voice therapy times. METHODS This is a before and after intervention study, with retrospective data collection. Twenty-two subjects with a mean age of 49.9 years participated in the study. The vocal therapy occurred between the years 2016 to 2019 in a teaching clinic, and the subjects had vocal samples collected before and after the therapeutic processes. CPPS and AVQI data extractions were performed during pre- and post-therapy. In order to characterize the sample, auditory-perceptual evaluation (APE) regarding the overall degree of vocal deviation at pre- and post-therapy moments was performed. The data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS The APE data indicated a decrease in the median values of overall vocal deviation degree at the post-therapy stage for both the vowel (p=0.00) and number (p=0.00) samples. The average CPPS for the vowel was 14.53 pre-therapy and 16.37 post-therapy (p=0.01); for the number emission, it was 8.22 pre-therapy and 9.06 post-therapy (p=0.02), there was a difference in the CPPS of the vowel and numbers indicating vocal improvement at post-therapy. The average AVQI was 2.27 pre-therapy and 1.54 post-therapy (p=0.05). There was an improvement in the AVQI results, with borderline p-value. CONCLUSION Vocal therapy produced changes in the general degree of vocal deviation, as well as in CPPS and AVQI measurements, and the results at the post-therapy moment are similar to those of vocally healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduarda Cristina Hofman
- Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO - Irati (PR), Brasil.
| | - Ana Paula Dassie-Leite
- Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO - Irati (PR), Brasil.
| | | | - Eliane Cristina Pereira
- Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO - Irati (PR), Brasil.
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Nudelman CJ, Bottalico P. Investigating the Impact of Visual Input on Voice Production in Virtual Reality. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00226-6. [PMID: 37620174 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study explored the independent effects of visual input on voice production using virtual reality. Specifically, its effects on acoustic voice parameters and vocal status ratings, with the hypothesis that larger (a virtual lecture hall and theater compared to an office) and more full virtual rooms (75% of the capacity compared to 45%) would result in changes to the voice parameters and vocal status ratings. METHODS Voice production from 30 vocally healthy participants was recorded in six virtual reality conditions. After each condition, the participants provided vocal status ratings. The voice recordings were processed to calculate mean and standard deviation of sound pressure level and fundamental frequency, mean pitch strength, time dose, and cepstral peak prominence smoothed. The effects of the virtual reality conditions on these voice acoustic parameters and the vocal status ratings were analyzed. RESULTS The full virtual reality rooms resulted in significantly higher vocal fatigue and vocal discomfort ratings. The larger virtual reality rooms were significantly related to increases in mean and the standard deviation of sound pressure level, mean pitch strength, and cepstral peak prominence smoothed. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that visual size and visual fullness input during speech tasks have distinct effects on voice production and self-reported vocal status. Visual size is related to voice acoustic outcomes, while visual fullness is related to self-reported outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Nudelman
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois.
| | - Pasquale Bottalico
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
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Buckley DP, Abur D, Stepp CE. Normative Values of Cepstral Peak Prominence Measures in Typical Speakers by Sex, Speech Stimuli, and Software Type Across the Life Span. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2023; 32:1565-1577. [PMID: 37257202 PMCID: PMC10473385 DOI: 10.1044/2023_ajslp-22-00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine normative values for cepstral peak prominence measures across the life span as a function of sex using clinically relevant stimuli (/ɑ/, /i/, and two sentences of The Rainbow Passage) and two commonly used software types: Praat (Version 6.0.50) and Analysis of Dysphonia in Speech and Voice (ADSV). METHOD One hundred fifty speakers (75 males, 75 females; evenly distributed into three age groups) without voice disorders aged 18-91 years were recorded via headset microphone in a sound-treated booth. Cepstral measures were analyzed using common analysis methods in Praat and ADSV by sex, stimuli, and software type. Kruskal-Wallis tests and post hoc Mood's Median tests for significant factors were performed on cepstral measures to assess the effects of age group, sex, stimuli, and software type. RESULTS The results revealed statistically significant effects of sex, stimuli, and software type on cepstral measures, but no statistical effect of age group on cepstral values. Females had lower average cepstral values compared to males. Across stimuli, the highest average cepstral measure was found for sustained /ɑ/, followed by sustained /i/, and then of the two sentences of The Rainbow Passage. Average cepstral measures in Praat were higher than those from ADSV. CONCLUSIONS The current work did not find a statistical effect of age group on cepstral values; thus, normative cepstral values were reported by sex, stimuli, and software type. Future work should examine the applicability of these normative values for discriminating speakers with and without voice disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P. Buckley
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
| | - Defne Abur
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Computational Linguistics, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
- Research School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
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Castillo-Allendes A, Guzmán-Ferrada D, Hunter EJ, Fuentes-López E. Tracking Occupational Voice State with a Visual Analog Scale: Voice Quality, Vocal Fatigue, and Effort. Laryngoscope 2023; 133:1676-1682. [PMID: 36134759 PMCID: PMC10972625 DOI: 10.1002/lary.30398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to elevated vocal health risk in industries such as call centers, there is a need to have accessible and quick self-report tools for voice symptoms. This study aimed to determine if the concurrent and construct validity of three visual analog scales (VASs) of voice quality and symptoms could be used as a screening tool in call center agents. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out in three call center companies. The Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) and a vocal hygiene and symptoms survey were administered to 66 call center workers. Further, acoustic parameters including harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPs), L1-L0 slope, and Alpha ratio were collected. Finally, workers completed three VASs capturing self-perception of vocal effort (VAS-1), voice quality (VAS-2), and vocal fatigue (VAS-3). Linear regression models with bootstrapping evaluated the possible relationship between the three VASs measurements, self-perceived vocal symptoms, and acoustic parameters. RESULTS VAS-1 scores were associated with HNR and voice breaks, VAS-2 with voice breaks, and VAS-3 with Alpha ratio. Using the area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the highest AUC for detecting an altered VHI-10 questionnaire score was observed for the three VASs. Also, the highest AUC for detecting altered CPPs was reached for the VAS-1. CONCLUSIONS VAS as a self-report instrument of vocal symptoms is related to psychosocial voice impairment and alterations of acoustic voice parameters in call center workers. Such instruments could be easily implemented to identify voice complaints in these populations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 (Diagnosis research question) Laryngoscope, 133:1676-1682, 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Castillo-Allendes
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel Guzmán-Ferrada
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eric J. Hunter
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Eduardo Fuentes-López
- Carrera de Fonoaudiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia, Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Colletti L, Heller Murray E. Voice Onset Time in Children With and Without Vocal Fold Nodules. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:1467-1478. [PMID: 36940476 PMCID: PMC10457081 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-22-00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Voice onset time (VOT) of voiceless consonants provides information on the coordination of the vocal and articulatory systems. This study examined whether vocal-articulatory coordination is affected by the presence of vocal fold nodules (VFNs) in children. METHOD The voices of children with VFNs (6-12 years) and age- and gender-matched vocally healthy controls were examined. VOT was calculated as the time between the voiceless stop consonant burst and the vocal onset of the vowel. Measures of the average VOT and VOT variability, defined as the coefficient of variation, were calculated. The acoustic measure of dysphonia, cepstral peak prominence (CPP), was also calculated. CPP provides information about the overall periodicity of the signal, with more dysphonic voices having lower CPP values. RESULTS There were no significant differences in either average VOT or VOT variability between the VFN and control groups. VOT variability and average VOT were both significantly predicted by the interaction between Group and CPP. There was a significant negative correlation between CPP and VOT variability in the VFN group, but no significant relationship was found in the control group. CONCLUSIONS Unlike previous studies with adults, there were no group differences in average VOT or VOT variability in this study. However, children with VFNs who were more dysphonic had increased VOT variability, suggestive of a relationship between dysphonia severity and control of vocal onset during speech production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Colletti
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Elizabeth Heller Murray
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
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Lee SJ, Park YM, Lim JY. Comprehensive Index of Vocal Fatigue (CIVF): Development and Clinical Validation. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00129-7. [PMID: 37150700 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this study, we sought to investigate whether auditory-perceptual and acoustic measures change after a passage-reading task and to develop a multidimensional index of performance fatigue in voice disorders. The clinical usefulness and cut-off scores of the newly developed index were also explored. METHODS A total of 150 patients (age = 35.65 ± 11.44 years) with voice disorders and 100 healthy controls (age = 35.04 ± 11.26 years) were enrolled in the study. Overall severity (OS) and acoustic measures of sentence samples were obtained before and after a passage-reading task and compared between the two positions. Acoustic features included cepstral peak prominence (CPP), σCPP, L/H spectral ratio (SR), and σSR. Using the changes (Δ) in those acoustic measures and the scores of the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI), a predictive model of the ΔOS was established. The clinical cut-off point of the index was also identified. RESULTS For the patient group, OS was higher, but CPP and σCPP were lower for the rear position (after reading the passage) compared to the front position (before reading the passage). A significant portion (adjusted R2 = 77.7%) of the ΔOS was predicted by ΔCPP, tiredness score of the VFI, ΔσCPP, ΔσSR, and ΔSR. The area under the curve of the newly developed index was .864 (sensitivity, 78.67%; specificity, 78.00%), and the index's criterion was >2.6489. CONCLUSIONS The newly developed Comprehensive Index of Vocal Fatigue (CIVF) can quantify vocal fatigue in voice disorders, reflecting both acoustic and auditory perceptual changes after a passage-reading task. Further studies should explore the responsiveness of the CIVF and the impact of related factors on the CIVF in various voice disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Jin Lee
- Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Research Institute of Audiology and Speech Pathology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Min Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Yol Lim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Patel RR, Sandage MJ, Golzarri-Arroyo L. High-Speed Videoendoscopic and Acoustic Characteristics of Inspiratory Phonation. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:1192-1207. [PMID: 36917802 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Given the importance of inspiratory phonation for assessment of vocal fold structure, the aim of this investigation was to evaluate and describe the vocal fold vibratory characteristics of inspiratory phonation using high-speed videoendoscopy in healthy volunteers. The study also examined the empirical relationship between cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and glottal area waveform measurements derived from simultaneous high-speed videoendoscopy and audio recordings. METHOD Vocally healthy adults (33 women, 28 men) volunteered for this investigation and completed high-speed videoendoscopic assessment of vocal fold function for two trials of an expiratory/inspiratory phonation task at normal pitch and normal loudness. Twelve glottal area waveform measures and acoustic CPP values were extracted for analyses. RESULTS Inspiratory phonation resulted in shorter closing time, longer duration of the opening phase, and faster closing phase velocity compared to expiratory phonation. Sex differences were elucidated. CPP changes for inspiratory phonation were predicted by changes in the glottal area index and waveform symmetry index, whereas changes in CPP during expiratory phonation were predicted by changes in asymmetry quotient, glottal area index, and amplitude periodicity. CONCLUSIONS Vocal fold vibratory differences were identified for inspiratory phonation when compared to expiratory phonation, the latter of which has been studied more extensively. This investigation provides important basic inspiratory phonation data to better understand laryngeal physiology in vivo and provides a basic model from which to further study inspiratory phonation in a larger population representing a broader age range. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.22223812.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita R Patel
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington
| | - Mary J Sandage
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Auburn University, AL
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Fujiki RB, Braden M, Thibeault SL. Voice Therapy Improves Acoustic and Auditory-Perceptual Outcomes in Children. Laryngoscope 2023; 133:977-983. [PMID: 35754165 PMCID: PMC9790974 DOI: 10.1002/lary.30263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study employed acoustic measures as well as auditory-perceptual assessments to examine the effects of voice therapy in children presenting with benign vocal fold lesions. METHODS A retrospective, observational cohort design was employed. Sustained vowels produced by 129 children diagnosed with benign vocal fold lesions were analyzed, as well as connected speech samples produced by 47 children. Treatment outcome measures included Consensus of Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V), jitter, shimmer, Noise-to-Harmonic Ratio (NHR), cepstral peak prominence (CPP), and Low-to-High Ratio (LHR) on sustained vowels, and CPP and LHR on connected speech. RESULTS Following voice therapy, significant improvements in CAPE-V ratings (p < 0.001) were observed. Additionally, jitter (p = 0.041), NHR (p = 0.019), and CPP (p < 0.01) on sustained vowels, and CPP (p = 0.002), and LHR (p = 0.008) on connected speech significantly improved following voice therapy. CPP increased with age in males but did not change in females. CAPE-V ratings and perturbation measures indicated that dysphonia was more severe in younger children pre and post-therapy. CONCLUSIONS Auditory-perceptual and acoustic measures demonstrated improved voice quality following voice therapy in children with dysphonia. CPP effectively quantified voice therapy gains and allowed for analysis of connected speech, in addition to sustained vowels. These findings demonstrate the value of CPP as a tool in assessing therapy outcomes and support the efficacy of voice therapy for children presenting with vocal fold lesions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 133:977-983, 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maia Braden
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A
| | - Susan L Thibeault
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A
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Saghiri MA, Vakhnovetsky A, Vakhnovetsky J. Scoping review of the relationship between xerostomia and voice quality. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2023; 280:3087-3095. [PMID: 36995371 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-023-07941-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This scoping review aims to synthesize all of the currently available information on how xerostomia correlates with vocal function and the mechanisms that underpin it. METHODS Our scoping review used PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases to review articles published between January 1999 and July 2022 in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. In addition to the academic databases, we also conducted a manual search of Google Scholar. Further investigation was conducted on studies that examined the relationship between xerostomia and vocal function. RESULTS Of the 682 initially identified articles, 21 met our inclusion criteria. Among the included studies, two articles (n = 2) revealed the mechanistic relationship between xerostomia and vocal function. Most studies (n = 12) focused on xerostomia secondary to other underlying conditions or treatments, among which radiotherapy and Sjögren's syndrome were commonly investigated. Seven studies (n = 7) provided details about common vocal parameters measured in studies of xerostomia and the voice. CONCLUSION The literature currently lacks publications regarding the relationship between xerostomia and vocal function. Most of the studies included in this review were about xerostomia secondary to other conditions or medical treatments. Therefore, the impacts on the voice that were observed were very multifaceted and the role of xerostomia alone in phonation could not be ascertained. Nevertheless, it is clear that dryness in the mouth plays some role in vocal function and further research should focus on clarifying and finding the underlying mechanism behind this relationship by incorporating high-speed imaging and cepstral peak prominence analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Saghiri
- Biomaterial and Prosthodontics Laboratory, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
- Department of Endodontics, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | | | - Julia Vakhnovetsky
- Sector of Angiogenesis Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Hajar Afsar Lajevardi Research Cluster (DHAL), Hackensack, NJ, USA
- Biomaterial and Prosthodontics Laboratory, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA
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Nguyen DD, Madill C. Auditory-perceptual Parameters as Predictors of Voice Acoustic Measures. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00088-7. [PMID: 37003863 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Much research has examined the relationship between perceptual and acoustic measures. However, little is known about the prediction values of perceptual measures on an acoustic parameter. AIMS This study utilized simulated and disordered voice samples to investigate the prediction values of breathiness, roughness, and strain ratings on the selection of some time-based and spectral-based measures of voice quality. METHOD This study retrospectively analysed two sets of precollected data. The experimental data had been collected from nine trained speakers manipulating false vocal fold activity, true vocal fold mass, and larynx height. The voice-disordered data had been extracted from a clinical database for 68 patients with muscle tension voice disorders (MTVD). Both data sets had been perceptually rated for breathiness, roughness, and strain. Voice samples (prolonged vowel /ɑ/ and Rainbow Passage readings) had undergone acoustic analysis using Praat for harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR) and the program "Analysis of Dysphonia in Speech and Voice" (ADSV) for cepstral peak prominence (CPP), Cepstral/Spectral Index of Dysphonia (CSID), and Low/High spectral ratio (L/H ratio). Perceptual parameters were regressed against these acoustic measures to test their prediction values. RESULTS Reliability data showed satisfactory intra- and inter-reliability of perceptual ratings for both data sets. Breathiness significantly predicted CPP (both vocal tasks) and CSID (Rainbow Passage) in experimental data and predicted all the acoustic measures in MTVD data. Roughness significantly predicted HNR, CPP, and CSID in experimental data, and CPP (Rainbow Passage) and CSID (both vocal tasks) in MTVD data. Strain (both vocal tasks) significantly predicted L/H ratio in both data sets. CONCLUSIONS Breathiness ratings predicted selection of HNR, CPP and CSID; roughness ratings predicted selection of CPP and CSID, and strain ratings predicted L/H ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duy Duong Nguyen
- Voice Research Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Catherine Madill
- Voice Research Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
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Anand S. Perceptual and Computational Estimates of Vocal Breathiness and Roughness in Sustained Phonation and Connected Speech. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00069-3. [PMID: 36933971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Clinical assessment of voice quality (VQ) often uses a combination of sustained phonations and more prolonged and more complex vocalizations. The purpose of this study was to compare the perceived vocal breathiness and vocal roughness of sustained phonations and connected speech over a wide range of dysphonia severity and to evaluate their relationship with acoustic measures and bioinspired models of breathiness and roughness. METHODS VQ dimension-specific single-variable matching task (SVMT) was used to index the perceived breathiness or roughness of five male and five female talkers on the basis of a sustained /a/ phonation and the 5th CAPE-V sentence. Acoustic measures of cepstral peak, autocorrelation peak and psychoacoustic measures of pitch strength, and temporal envelope standard deviation (EnvSD) was used to predict perceived breathiness and roughness judgments obtained from 10 listeners, respectively. RESULTS High intra- and inter-listener reliability was observed for sustained phonations and connected speech. Perceived breathiness and roughness of sustained vowels and sentences obtained using SVMT were highly correlated for most dysphonic voices. The pitch strength model of breathiness was able to capture larger amount of perceptual variance compared to cepstral peak in both vowels and sentences. Autocorrelation peak was strongly correlated to perceived roughness in sentences while EnvSD was strongly correlated to perceived roughness in vowels. CONCLUSIONS Results provide evidence that perception of VQ via SVMT can be successfully extended to connected speech. Computational models of VQ can be easily adapted to connected speech. Such automated models of VQ perception are valuable due to their computational efficiency and their ability to accurately capture the non-linearities of the human auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supraja Anand
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
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Voice Outcomes of Straw Phonation Exercises for Telephone Customer Service Staff. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00020-6. [PMID: 36931983 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a straw phonation exercise program in preventing voice problems in telephone customer service staff. STUDY DESIGN Prospective study. METHODS Twenty-eight participants with no obvious voice problems were placed into two groups: the experimental (n = 13) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group received voice hygiene instructions and participated in a 3-week straw phonation exercise program, while the control group only received voice hygiene instructions. The acoustic parameters and Mandarin Chinese version of the Vocal Fatigue Index (CVFI) scores were statistically analyzed before training, immediately after training, followed up one and 3 months after training. RESULTS The results showed that speaking fundamental frequency (SF0), shimmer, and cepstral peak prominence (CPP) of the experimental group improved immediately after the straw phonation exercise program, and shimmer of the experimental group after training was also significantly lower than that of the control group. A higher SF0 and lower shimmer were noted in the experimental group during the follow-up phase, whereas factors 1 (voice load and fatigue) and 2 (physiological symptoms) of the CVFI did not differ significantly until the third month after training. CONCLUSION The study results suggest that the straw phonation exercise program can help telephone service staff to establish an appropriate speaking pitch and prevent voice fatigue.
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Maffei MF, Green JR, Murton O, Yunusova Y, Rowe HP, Wehbe F, Diana K, Nicholson K, Berry JD, Connaghan KP. Acoustic Measures of Dysphonia in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:872-887. [PMID: 36802910 PMCID: PMC10205101 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Identifying efficacious measures to characterize dysphonia in complex neurodegenerative diseases is key to optimal assessment and intervention. This study evaluates the validity and sensitivity of acoustic features of phonatory disruption in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHOD Forty-nine individuals with ALS (40-79 years old) were audio-recorded while producing a sustained vowel and continuous speech. Perturbation/noise-based (jitter, shimmer, and harmonics-to-noise ratio) and cepstral/spectral (cepstral peak prominence, low-high spectral ratio, and related features) acoustic measures were extracted. The criterion validity of each measure was assessed using correlations with perceptual voice ratings provided by three speech-language pathologists. Diagnostic accuracy of the acoustic features was evaluated using area-under-the-curve analysis. RESULTS Perturbation/noise-based and cepstral/spectral features extracted from /a/ were significantly correlated with listener ratings of roughness, breathiness, strain, and overall dysphonia. Fewer and smaller correlations between cepstral/spectral measures and perceptual ratings were observed for the continuous speech task, although post hoc analyses revealed stronger correlations in speakers with less perceptually impaired speech. Area-under-the-curve analyses revealed that multiple acoustic features, particularly from the sustained vowel task, adequately differentiated between individuals with ALS with and without perceptually dysphonic voices. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support using both perturbation/noise-based and cepstral/spectral measures of sustained /a/ to assess phonatory quality in ALS. Results from the continuous speech task suggest that multisubsystem involvement impacts cepstral/spectral analyses in complex motor speech disorders such as ALS. Further investigation of the validity and sensitivity of cepstral/spectral measures during continuous speech in ALS is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc F. Maffei
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
| | - Jordan R. Green
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
- Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Olivia Murton
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
| | - Yana Yunusova
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hannah P. Rowe
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
| | - Farah Wehbe
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kathleen Diana
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Katharine Nicholson
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - James D. Berry
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Kathryn P. Connaghan
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
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Elsaeed A, Afsah O, Nawka T, Caffier P, Baz H. Treatment of Vocal Fold Nodules: Transnasal Steroid Injection Versus Microlaryngoscopic Phonomicrosurgery. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00038-3. [PMID: 36882331 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Vocal fold nodules (VFNs) are bilateral, mid-membranous, swellings of the vocal folds. Intralesional steroid injection was successfully tried in the management of benign vocal fold lesions including nodules. The aim of the present study was to compare treatment outcomes of vocal fold steroid injection (VFSI) and surgery in patients with VFNs in terms of lesion regression, subjective, and objective voice parameters. STUDY DESIGN Nonrandomized controlled clinical trial. METHODS This bicenter interventional study was conducted on 32 patients with VFNs, in the age range of 16-63 years. Sixteen patients underwent transnasal VFSI under local anesthesia (the injection group), and 16 underwent surgical excision of the nodules under general anesthesia (the surgery group). Prior to intervention and at the follow-up visit, participants were subjected to videolaryngoscopic examination with evaluation of nodules' sizes as well as subjective voice assessment by auditory perceptual assessment (APA) of voice and the international nine-item Voice Handicap Index (VHI-9i). Objective voice assessments including the measurements of cepstral peak prominence, jitter, shimmer, harmonic to noise ratio, and maximum phonation time were also administered. RESULTS The size of vocal fold nodules was significantly decreased postintervention in both studied groups. There was a decrease in the VHI-9i score, a decrease in the values of jitter and shimmer, together with an increase in the values of cepstral peak prominence and maximum phonation time after interventions indicating improvement of subjective and objective voice outcomes in both groups. CONCLUSION Office-based transnasal VFSI is a safe and tolerable therapy option for VFNs. Voice outcomes of VFSI were comparable to surgery, hereby VFSI can be considered a promising therapy for VFNs and could be used as an alternative to surgery in selected cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asser Elsaeed
- Phoniatric Unit, ORL Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Omayma Afsah
- Phoniatric Unit, ORL Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
| | - Tadeus Nawka
- Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Caffier
- Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hemmat Baz
- Phoniatric Unit, ORL Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
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Murton OM, Dec GW, Hillman RE, Majmudar MD, Steiner J, Guttag JV, Mehta DD. Acoustic Voice and Speech Biomarkers of Treatment Status during Hospitalization for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure. APPLIED SCIENCES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:1827. [PMID: 37064434 PMCID: PMC10104453 DOI: 10.3390/app13031827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates acoustic voice and speech features as biomarkers for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), a serious escalation of heart failure symptoms including breathlessness and fatigue. ADHF-related systemic fluid accumulation in the lungs and laryngeal tissues is hypothesized to affect phonation and respiration for speech. A set of daily spoken recordings from 52 patients undergoing inpatient ADHF treatment was analyzed to identify voice and speech biomarkers for ADHF and to examine the trajectory of biomarkers during treatment. Results indicated that speakers produce more stable phonation, a more creaky voice, faster speech rates, and longer phrases after ADHF treatment compared to their pre-treatment voices. This project builds on work to develop a method of monitoring ADHF using speech biomarkers and presents a more detailed understanding of relevant voice and speech features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M. Murton
- Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - G. William Dec
- Institute for Heart, Vascular, and Stroke Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Robert E. Hillman
- Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Johannes Steiner
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - John V. Guttag
- Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Daryush D. Mehta
- Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Correspondence:
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