Vocal tract resonance analysis of aging voice using long-term average spectra.

This study is the first to use long-term average spectra (LTAS) to investigate resonance characteristics of dynamic speech in young adulthood and old age. A total of 80 speakers participated, divided equally by age group and gender. All elderly speakers were healthy, active members of the community. Measurement of the first three spectral peaks in LTAS from the first paragraph of the Rainbow Passage revealed significant lowering of peak 1 from young adulthood to old age in both men and women. Peaks 2 and 3 also lowered significantly across the adult lifespan in women and showed a tendency to lower in men. These acoustic findings are consistent with anatomic data suggesting that aging results in lengthening of the supraglottic vocal tract. Findings that women demonstrate more substantial lowering of spectral peaks with aging than men suggest that women may undergo more pronounced age-related lengthening of the supraglottic vocal tract. Alternatively, it is possible that elderly men systematically alter tongue position during vowel articulation while elderly women are less inclined to do so. Taken in conjunction with previous research, these findings suggest a "mixed model" of vocal tract resonance changes with aging in which an interaction exists between gender, the resonance effects of laryngeal lowering, and vowel articulatory patterns.

Acoustic correlates of perceived versus actual sexual orientation in men's speech.

The purpose of this study was to explore possible differences in the speech patterns of gay and straight men, both as a function of perceived and actual sexual orientation. Tape recordings of monologue readings from 5 openly gay men and 4 straight men were played to 25 listeners for judgments of perceived sexual orientation. Monologues were analyzed in terms of /s/ duration, /s/ peak frequency, modal speaking fundamental frequency, speech rate, and long-term average speech spectra. Listeners correctly identified the sexual orientation of these speakers at a rate of 79.6%. Multiple regression analysis revealed that gay judgments were significantly associated with higher peak /s/ frequency values and longer /s/ duration values. Acoustic cues associated with perceived sexual orientation generally agreed with acoustic findings as a function of actual sexual orientation. While these results must be interpreted cautiously, findings suggest that members of the community of openly gay men demonstrate certain speech characteristics that are discernible to listeners.

The sound of senescence.

This paper draws together findings of recent studies examining changes in voice with aging. Listeners' accuracy in perceiving age from voice is discussed, along with changes in speaking fundamental frequency, fundamental frequency stability, temporal aspects of speech, and resonance features of voice with aging. Descriptions are provided of differences in glottal gap configuration as a function of age and gender. In addition, acoustic/temporal measures that have been demonstrated to correlate with perceived age estimates are presented.

Changes in glottal configuration in women after loud talking.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine changes in glottal configuration in women under a variety of pitch and loudness conditions after an interval of loud reading. Twelve young adult women with normal laryngeal structures were photographed under stroboscopic light and sustained the vowel/i/for a minimum of 3 s, at three pitch levels and three loudness levels, before and after a 15-min interval of loud reading. Results indicate that female speakers tend to alter glottic configurations across phonatory conditions after loud reading, particularly during high-pitch phonation. Specifically, five subjects tended to increase glottal closure, one tended to increase glottal opening, two tended to maintain the identical configuration, and four demonstrated no consistent pattern of response.

Glottal gap configurations in two age groups of women.

The purpose of this study was to gather data on glottal gap configurations in two age groups of women. Using videostroboscopy, glottal closure patterns of 20 women (10 young, 10 elderly) were observed across nine pitch/loudness conditions. While both young and elderly speakers displayed a high incidence of glottal gaps, the two groups differed markedly in the configuration of the gaps observed and in the phonatory conditions under which gaps were observed. Young speakers demonstrated posterior chink and incomplete closure significantly more frequently than elderly women, although rarely demonstrating anterior gap or spindle configuration. In contrast, anterior gap was the single most common type of gap in the elderly, with spindle also occurring significantly more frequently. Individual elderly speakers, overall, changed glottic configuration more frequently across phonatory conditions than did young speakers. Some individual elderly speakers tended to vary glottic configuration consistently with pitch level changes.

The interrelationship of measures related to vocal function, speech rate, and laryngeal appearance in elderly women.

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the interrelationship of various measures related to vocal function, speech rate, and laryngeal appearance in elderly women. Speakers were 20 women ranging in age from 67 to 86 years. An indirect laryngoscopic examination that included judgments on glottal closure and vocal fold appearance was performed on each speaker. Eight measures related to vocal performance (the production capabilities of the mechanism with regard to pitch range, intensity range, and phonation time) were collected on each speaker. Further, acoustic measures of intensity and fundamental frequency stability were made from sustained vowels, and a reading passage was analyzed for reading rate and intensity level. Factor analysis procedures revealed an association of maximum phonation time with measures of vocal intensity, as well as with pitch range measures. Surprisingly, reading rate was grouped with measures of FO stability as well as with maximum vocal intensity. Although laryngoscopic findings are in general agreement with those reported previously in elderly women (Honjo & Isshiki, 1980), inadequate glottal closure was observed more frequently, and vocal cord edema less frequently, in these women.

Intraspeaker variability in fundamental frequency stability: an age-related phenomenon?

The purpose of this investigation was to gather information on the extent to which intraspeaker variability on measures of jitter (%) and fundamental frequency standard deviation (F0 s.d.) is age related in women. Fifteen repeat productions of the vowels /i/, /a/, and /u/ from 22 young women (18-22 years) were analyzed for F0 s.d. and jitter. Findings for these young speakers were compared with those for elderly speakers tested previously (Linville and Korabic, 1987). Results indicate that the aging process brings about increases in the variability individual women demonstrate on measures of F0 stability when producing sustained vowels as steadily as possible. Further, young speakers differed markedly from elderly speakers in the pattern of frequency instability variations observed across the three vowels tested.

Fundamental frequency stability characteristics of elderly women's voices.

The purpose of this investigation was to gather information on how much variability on measures of jitter and fundamental frequency standard deviation (F0 s.d.) can be expected within individual elderly women when phonating sustained vowels "as steadily as possible." Fifteen repeat productions of the vowels /i/, /a/, and /u/ from 18 elderly women (69-90 years) were analyzed for F0 s.d. and jitter. Results indicate that intraspeaker variability on jitter and F0 s.d. measures in elderly women's sustained vowel productions can be quite considerable in some cases. This is a factor which needs to be considered in establishing normative data on elderly speakers' vocal capabilities.

Elderly listeners' estimates of vocal age in adult females.

The purpose of this study was to provide data on the ability of elderly listeners to estimate the age group of women (25-35, 45-55, 70-80) from phonated and whispered vowel productions. Further, comparisons were made between the performance of these elderly listeners and results for young listeners reported previously [S. E. Linville and H. Fisher, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 78, 40-48 (1985)]. Tape recordings of whispered and normally phonated /ae/ vowels were played to 23 elderly women for relative age judgments. Results suggest that elderly women are not as accurate as young women in estimating age from sustained vowel productions, although the two listener groups tend to categorize individual speakers similarly. Further, it appears that listener age is a factor in acoustic cues used in making age judgments.

Acoustic characteristics of perceived versus actual vocal age in controlled phonation by adult females.

The purpose of this investigation was to obtain information on the acoustic characteristics of women's voices as a function of perceived versus actual age. Tape recordings of whispered and normally phonated /ae/ vowels were obtained from 75 women in three age groups (25-35, 45-55, and 70-80 years). One-second segments of phonemically representative /ae/ vowels were played to 23 listeners for relative age judgments. Phonated vowel productions were analyzed in terms of mean fundamental frequency, fundamental frequency standard deviation, and jitter ratio, as well as F1 and F2 frequencies. Whispered vowels were analyzed only in terms of F1 and F2 frequencies. Multiple regression analysis revealed that older age judgments based on phonated vowels were significantly associated with higher fundamental frequency standard deviation values and lower mean fundamental frequency values. Older age judgments based on whispered vowels were significantly associated with lower F1 frequencies. Results of this investigation suggest that both phonatory and resonance features play a role in defining age characteristics of women's voices. Acoustic cues associated with perceived age generally agreed with acoustic findings as a function of actual age.

Acoustic characteristics of women's voices with advancing age.

The purpose of this study was to increase current understanding of acoustic characteristics of women's voices with advancing age. Phonated and whispered [ae] vowel productions by 75 women at three age levels (25 to 35, 45 to 55, 70 to 80 years) were assessed on acoustic measures related to fundamental frequency stability and vocal tract resonance characteristics. Two acoustic variables effectively differentiated the three age groups. First, frequency stability, as reflected by fundamental frequency standard deviation, decreased with advanced age in women, suggesting that laryngeal and/or respiratory control of phonation shows some deterioration with age. Second, spectral analysis of phonated and whispered [ae] vowel productions revealed significant lowering of the frequency of the first format (F1) with advanced age, suggesting age-related changes in vocal tract dimensions, or positioning of speech structures.