Nasometer 6200 Versus Nasometer II 6400: Effect on Measures of Nasalance

A voice and speech corpus of patients who underwent upper airway surgery in pre- and post-operative states

Many research articles have explored the impact of surgical interventions on voice and speech evaluations, but advances are limited by the lack of publicly accessible datasets. To address this, a comprehensive corpus of 107 Spanish Castilian speakers was recorded, including control speakers and patients who underwent upper airway surgeries such as Tonsillectomy, Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, and Septoplasty. The dataset contains 3,800 audio files, averaging 35.51 ± 5.91 recordings per patient. This resource enables systematic investigation of the effects of upper respiratory tract surgery on voice and speech. Previous studies using this corpus have shown no relevant changes in key acoustic parameters for sustained vowel phonation, consistent with initial hypotheses. However, the analysis of speech recordings, particularly nasalised segments, remains open for further research. Additionally, this dataset facilitates the study of the impact of upper airway surgery on speaker recognition and identification methods, and testing of anti-spoofing methodologies for improved robustness.

Normative nasalance scores in Chilean adults

PURPOSE

The present study is aimed towards determining and comparing normative nasalance scores in Chilean Spanish-speaking adult men and women.

METHODS

40 women (age range 18 to 35, X = 25.79, SD = 5.83) and 36 men (age range 18 to 35, X = 26.45, SD = 4.08) were invited to participate, all of them without any previous speech therapy, neurological pathologies, intellectual deficits, hearing loss, syndromes, or other diagnosed pathologies that could impact speech production.A study of proper velopharyngeal function was performed, using a perceptual resonance evaluation. Nasalance was determined using a model 6450 Nasometer, during the reading of three standardized speech samples in Spanish: a nasal passage (NP), an oronasal passage (ONP), and an oral passage (OP). Also, the nasalance distance was calculated. Genders were compared using Wilcoxon tests for independent samples.

RESULTS

The NP presented the highest percentage of nasalance, with 52.13% (± 4.73), followed by the ONP with 25.38% (± 3.7), and finally the OP, which presented the lowest value of 14.15% (± 5.03). Meanwhile, nasalance distance was 37.98% (± 5.32). Finally, no significant differences were observed when comparing the nasalance between genders (p >0.05).

CONCLUSION

The nasalance values obtained were similar to those observed for other Spanish speakers. Also, male and women showed similar scores. The results of this study are a contribution to the indirect assessment of velopharyngeal function in Chilean adults.

Normative nasalance scores in Tamil-speaking Indian children

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to obtain normative nasalance scores for Indian Tamil-speaking children.

METHODS

Mean nasalance scores were obtained from 175 consecutive Tamil-speaking normal children (95 males, 80 females) aged 5-16 years during the repetition of six standardized sentences: two oral, two oronasal, and two nasal sentences. The nasal view was used to obtain nasalance scores for the standardized sentences.

RESULTS

Group mean and standard deviation (SD) nasalance scores of children for oral, oronasal, and nasal sentence were 35.65(SD 7.20), 44.42(SD 7.37), and 57.21(SD 8.15), respectively. The mean nasalance values of children aged 9-12 years were greater than children aged 5-8 years and 13-16 years for nasal sentences (p < .001). Males were found to have significantly higher nasalance scores for oral and oronasal sentences (p < .05) although these differences were within the range of normal variation.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides normative nasalance scores for Tamil-speaking Indian children.

English Nasalance Values of Chinese Learners of English

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Although a number of studies have been conducted to investigate nasalance scores of speakers of different languages, little research has examined the nasalance characteristics of second language learners. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The goal of the current study was to examine whether English nasalance values of Mandarin Chinese speakers are similar to those of native English speakers, examining the potential effect of the first language on the nasalance scores of the second language production. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Thirty-two adults (16 Mandarin Chinese speakers and 16 native English speakers) with a normal velopharyngeal anatomy participated. Nasalance scores of various speech stimuli were obtained using a nasometer and compared between the 2 groups. <b><i>Results and Conclusions:</i></b> Chinese learners of English produced higher nasalance scores than native English speakers on prolonged vowel /i/ and /a/, the syllable “nin,” and non-nasal sentences and passages. The first language effect on nasalance of the second language found in the current study suggests the importance of linguistic consideration in the clinical evaluation of resonance.

Influence of Altered Auditory Feedback on Oral-Nasal Balance in Speakers of Brazilian Portuguese

Purpose This study explored the role of auditory feedback in the regulation of oral-nasal balance in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. Method Twenty typical speakers of Brazilian Portuguese (10 male, 10 female) wore a Nasometer headset and headphones while continuously repeating stimuli with oral and nasal sounds. Oral-nasal balance was quantified with nasalance scores. The signals from 2 additional oral and nasal microphones were played back to the participants through the headphones. The relative loudness of the nasal channel in the mix was gradually changed, so that the speakers heard themselves as more or less nasal. Results A repeated-measures analysis of variance of the mean nasalance scores of the stimuli at baseline, minimum, and maximum nasal feedback conditions demonstrated significant effects of nasal feedback condition (p < .0001) and stimuli (p < .0001). Post hoc analyses demonstrated that the mean nasalance scores were lowest for the maximum nasal feedback condition. The scores of the minimum nasal feedback condition were significantly higher than 2 of 3 baseline feedback conditions. The speaking amplitude of the participants did not change between the nasal feedback conditions. Conclusions Increased nasal signal level feedback led to a compensatory adjustment in the opposite direction, confirming that oral-nasal balance is regulated by auditory feedback. However, reduced nasal signal level feedback resulted in a compensatory response that was lower in magnitude. This suggests that, even in Brazilian Portuguese, a language with phonetic and phonological vowel nasalization, decreased nasality was not perceived as critically as increased nasality by the speakers.

Effect of Septoplasty On Voice Performance: Nasalance and Acoustic Study

BACKGROUND

Septoplasty is a surgical technique for the correction of the nasal septum that may alter the vocal tract. The aim of our study is to assess whether this technique modifies nasalance and acoustic parameters, and their clinical implications in voice perception.

METHODOLOGY

A prospective study was performed between January 2017 and June 2017 including 2 groups of patients: those undergoing septoplasty, and a control group. Subjective nasality questionnaire, objective nasalance with nasometer, and GRBAS (Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain) assessment were statistically analysed. In addition, a recording of patients' voices was made with a subsequent acoustic analysis. Samples were taken: pre-surgically, 2 weeks after surgery and after 3 months.

RESULTS

After septoplasty, a significant difference was observed in GRBAS, nasality questionnaire and nasometer nasalance, when compared with the control group. As for the acoustic analysis, no differences were observed in most parameters (F0, Jitter, Shimmer, HNR, NHR, Formants F1-F3), except for the antiF3 antiformant, which showed significant changes in all the vowels studied.

CONCLUSIONS

Septoplasty can produce changes in the vocal tract, with an increase in initial nasalance but with subsequent normalization. Besides, minor changes were found in the acoustic analysis but with no clinical relevance.

The Impact of Nasalance on Cepstral Peak Prominence and Harmonics-to-Noise Ratio

Objectives/Hypothesis

Cepstral peak prominence (CPP) has been reported as a reliable measure of dysphonia and a preferred alternative to harmonics‐to‐noise ratio (HNR). However, CPP has been observed to be sensitive to articulatory variation and vocal intensity. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of nasalance on CPP and HNR of voice signals. It was hypothesized that increased nasalance would be associated with decreased CPP.

Study Design

Within‐subject correlation design.

Methods

Thirty vocally healthy female participants were recorded reading and producing a vowel in alternation with a nasal consonant while wearing a nasometer for calculation of nasalance. Recorded vowel, nasalized, and nasal segments of speech were used to calculate CPP using Analysis of Dysphonia in Speech and Voice software, and HNR and vocal intensity using Praat software.

Results

Significant main effects of conditions were observed for CPP. CPP values decreased significantly when phonation changed from vowel to nasalized vowel and to nasal. There was correlation between CPP and nasalance and between CPP and intensity. HNR was slightly higher in the nasal condition than in vowel. There was a weak correlation between HNR and nasalance. No correlation was found between HNR and intensity.

Conclusions

CPP is sensitive to changes in vocal tract configuration caused by nasalization as well as intensity, whereas HNR is not. Therefore, CPP may reflect the periodicity in source signal or the filtering effects of vocal tract. Further research is needed to clarify the application and interpretation of CPP in clinical practice.

Level of Evidence

4

Laryngoscope, 129:E299–E304, 2019

Clinical application of nasometry in patients with nasal obstruction

The purpose of this case-control study is to report on the clinical application of nasometry as a diagnostic tool in patients with the symptom of nasal obstruction compared with subjects with no history of nasal obstruction. Thirty-eight adult patients (mean age: 28.1 years) complaining of nasal obstruction were enrolled in the study, and another group of 38 adults (mean age: 25.9 years) with no history of nasal obstruction served as controls. Demographic data, including age and sex, were collected. Patients were asked to read three passages; the Zoo passage, the Rainbow passage, and nasal sentences. Nasalance scores were reported on all subjects using a Nasometer II instrument. The control and patient groups each included 22 men and 16 women. No statistically significant difference in nasalance score was found between the study group and the control group in any of the Zoo passage, Rainbow passage and nasal sentences. We conclude that nasometry has limited value in the objective assessment of nasal obstruction as a symptom, which we attribute to nasal obstruction's not always reflecting the volume and pressure in the nasal cavity.

Nasalance of Brazilian Portuguese-speaking populations from two different states

Purpose

To measure the nasalance scores of Brazilian Portuguese-speaking young adults from the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais in order to investigate whether dialect variations and gender affect these scores.

Methods

Nasalance was assessed in 36 individuals: 20 native residents of Sao Paulo state (mean age=23 y.o.) and 16 native residents of Minas Gerais state (mean age=24 y.o.), following the same criteria. Nasalance measures were taken using the Nasometer II 6400 (KayPentax) device based on the reading of three texts (nasal-1, nasal-2, and oral). Intergroup nasalance scores were compared using the unpaired Student's t test considering two experimental groups.

Results

The nasalance scores in individuals from the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais were 52.7% and 48.8% for the nasal-1 text, 49.6% and 49.9% for the nasal-2 text, and 14.3% and 9.8% for the oral text, respectively. Statistical analysis comparing the mean nasalance scores in both groups showed significant difference (p=0.03) only for the oral text, in which individuals from Sao Paulo state presented higher scores.

Conclusion

Although nasalance scores were lower in individuals from Minas Gerais state compared with those of individuals from Sao Paulo state, both groups presented values within the normal range. The variable gender was not relevant in the nasalance assessment; however, a tendency for higher scores was observed in women compared with men from Minas Gerais state in the same group in the reading of the nasal-2 text. This study contributes to the knowledge of nasalance reference scores for two different populations of Brazilian Portuguese speakers; however, the results herein reported should be interpreted with caution due to the small study sample size.

Short-term and long-term test-retest reliability of the Nasality Severity Index 2.0

PURPOSE

The Nasality Severity Index 2.0 (NSI 2.0) forms a new, multiparametric approach in the assessment of hypernasality. To enable clinical implementation of this index, the short- and long-term test-retest reliability of this index was explored.

METHODS

In 40 normal-speaking adults (mean age 32y, SD 11, 18-56y) and 29 normal-speaking children (mean age 8y, SD 2, 4-12y), the acoustic parameters included in the NSI 2.0 (i.e. nasalance of the vowel /u/ and an oral text, and the voice low tone to high tone ratio (VLHR) of the vowel /i/) were obtained twice at the same test moment and during a second assessment two weeks later. After determination of the NSI 2.0, a comprehensive set of statistical measures was applied to determine its reliability.

RESULTS

Long-term variability of the NSI 2.0 and its parameters was slightly higher compared to the short-term variability, both in adults and in children. Overall, a difference of 2.82 for adults and 2.68 for children between the results of two consecutive measurements can be interpreted as a genuine change. With an ICC of 0.84 in adults and 0.77 in children, the NSI 2.0 additionally shows an excellent relative consistency. No statistically significant difference was withheld in the reliability of test-retest measurements between adults and children.

CONCLUSION

Reliable test-retest measurements of the NSI 2.0 can be performed. Consequently, the NSI 2.0 can be applied in clinical practice, in which successive NSI 2.0 scores can be reliably compared and interpreted.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The reader will be able to describe and discuss both the short-term and long-term test-retest reliability of the Nasality Severity Index 2.0, a new multiparametric approach to hypernasality, and its parameters. Based on this information, the NSI 2.0 can be applied in clinical practice, in which successive NSI 2.0 scores, e.g. before and after surgery or speech therapy, can be compared and interpreted.

Dialectical effects on nasalance: a multicenter, cross-continental study

PURPOSE

This study investigated nasalance in speakers from six different dialectal regions across North America using recent versions of the Nasometer. It was hypothesized that many of the sound changes observed in regional dialects of North American English would have a significant impact on measures of nasalance.

METHOD

Samples of the Zoo Passage, the Rainbow Passage, and the Nasal Sentences were collected from young adult male and female speakers (N=300) from six North American dialectical regions (Midland/Mid-Atlantic; Inland North Canada; Inland North; North Central; South; and Western dialects).

RESULTS

Across the three passage types, effect sizes for dialect were moderate in strength and accounted for approximately 7%-9% of the variation in nasalance. Increased differences in nasalance tended to occur between speakers from distinctly different geographical regions, with the highest nasalance across all passages observed for speakers from the Texas South dialect region.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians and researchers who use perceptual and instrumental measures of speech production should be aware that dialectical and socially acquired speech patterns may influence the acoustic characteristics of speech and may also influence the interpretation of normative expectations and typical versus disordered cutoff scores for instruments such as the Nasometer.