TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of Lung Volume on the Vertical Larynx Position during phonation.

AU - Iwarsson, Jenny

AU - Sundberg, J

PY - 1998

Y1 - 1998

N2 - The vertical position of the larynx seems to be relevant to voicefunction. As a high vertical larynx position is often seen in hyperfunctionaland strained voices, a lowering of a habitually elevated larynx is sometimes aspecific goal in clinical voice therapy and different larynx-lowering exercisesare used to achieve this goal. Earlier investigations have shown that pitch andto some extent also vocal loudness are relevant to vertical larynx position. Inthe present investigation, we examine if lung volume affects vertical larynxposition. Using a multi-channel electroglottograph, the larynx position wasmeasured in 29 healthy, vocally untrained subjects, who phonated at differentlung volumes, pitches, and degrees of vocal loudness. The main results werethat high lung volume was clearly associated with a lower larynx position ascompared to low lung volume. In addition, vertical larynx position wasstrongly correlated with pitch. Both of these dependencies were shown to bestronger in males than in females. Our results suggest that lung volume is afactor that is highly relevant to larynx height in untrained subjects.

AB - The vertical position of the larynx seems to be relevant to voicefunction. As a high vertical larynx position is often seen in hyperfunctionaland strained voices, a lowering of a habitually elevated larynx is sometimes aspecific goal in clinical voice therapy and different larynx-lowering exercisesare used to achieve this goal. Earlier investigations have shown that pitch andto some extent also vocal loudness are relevant to vertical larynx position. Inthe present investigation, we examine if lung volume affects vertical larynxposition. Using a multi-channel electroglottograph, the larynx position wasmeasured in 29 healthy, vocally untrained subjects, who phonated at differentlung volumes, pitches, and degrees of vocal loudness. The main results werethat high lung volume was clearly associated with a lower larynx position ascompared to low lung volume. In addition, vertical larynx position wasstrongly correlated with pitch. Both of these dependencies were shown to bestronger in males than in females. Our results suggest that lung volume is afactor that is highly relevant to larynx height in untrained subjects.

U2 - 10.1016/S0892-1997(98)80035-0

DO - 10.1016/S0892-1997(98)80035-0

M3 - Journal article

VL - 12

SP - 159

EP - 165

JO - Journal of Voice

JF - Journal of Voice

SN - 0892-1997

ER -