ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the effect of age on orofacial force generation. STUDY DESIGN: Forty women participated in a cross-sectional design, with 10 in each age group from 20 to 39, 40 to 59, 60 to 79, and 80 to 100 years of age. METHODS: Measures of force generation were obtained for the upper lip, lower lip, tongue, and jaw. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences among age groups, probably because of large individual variability within groups. Trends indicated a decline, particularly after age 80 years. CONCLUSION: Although trends in the data suggest some decline in the function of orofacial structures with age, it is unlikely that these changes would noticeably affect functional communication.
Subject(s)
Aging/physiology , Facial Muscles/physiology , Speech/physiology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Atrophy , Facial Muscles/pathology , Female , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
This study was designed to determine if differences exist in pars recta and pars oblique muscle activity during speech and singing. Hooked wire electrodes were implanted in the muscle bundles under direct vision during thyroid surgery in two men and three women. It was found that the pars recta and pars oblique do not function in a similar manner across fundamental frequencies (fo's), tasks, or subjects. Large inter- and intrasubject variability was evident in the contribution of the cricothyroid bundles to fundamental frequency (fo) control. It is speculated that the effect of pars recta and pars oblique contraction may be a function of individual anatomic variations.
Subject(s)
Laryngeal Muscles/physiology , Adult , Aged , Electromyography , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Observer Variation , Speech , Thyroid Gland/surgeryABSTRACT
Direct measures of subglottal pressure obtained through a tracheal puncture were used to calculate laryngeal airway resistance. Six subjects completed tasks including syllable trains and more natural speech samples produced at three loudness levels. Direct calculations of natural speech resistance values were compared with indirect estimates obtained during syllable train production. The degree of correspondence between direct and indirect calculations varied by subject. Overall, the smallest relative errors among calculations occurred for syllable trains, with higher relative errors for the monologue and sentence. For loudness conditions, the smallest and largest relative errors occurred for soft and loud productions, respectively. The clinical utility of indirect estimation is questioned and suggestions for improving its validity are provided.
Subject(s)
Airway Resistance , Larynx/physiology , Speech/physiology , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Phonation/physiologyABSTRACT
Calculation of laryngeal airway resistance using intraoral pressure divided by airflow has become a widely accepted clinical tool. The estimation is based largely on theoretical assumptions, particularly regarding the relationship between intraoral and subglottal pressure. To determine the estimate's validity, direct measures of airflow and subglottal, intraoral and pharyngeal pressures were obtained for four men and four women. Subjects produced normal, loud, soft and simulated breathy and strained syllable trains. Comparison of direct and indirect calculations of laryngeal airway resistance revealed generally good correspondence, particularly for [pi] syllables, although the estimate's accuracy varied among individual subjects. Some interpretive caution is warranted for the extremes of laryngeal airway resistance, with resistance likely to be underestimated in the strained condition, and overestimated in the breathy condition.
Subject(s)
Airway Resistance , Larynx/physiology , Phonetics , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Respiration , Sex Factors , Speech Production MeasurementABSTRACT
Objective measures of nonspeech orofacial strength and force control were obtained for 20 individuals with traumatic brain injury. The dynamic and static force generating abilities of the upper lip, lower lip, tongue, and jaw were assessed. Based on sentence intelligibility scores, the subjects were divided into two groups, more and less intelligible. Force measures included reaction time, slope, derivative, peak overshoot, and first- and second-half mean hold and standard deviation. Groups differed only in the ability to sustain the 2 N force level with the tongue. Other potential contributors to the differences in intelligibility are discussed.
