Impact of vocal excercises on stabilisation of vocal fold dynamics

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Matthias Echternach
• Subject Area: Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology
• Term: since 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 244844523

Human voice production is a complex mechanism of different interacting systems, such as the breathing apparatus, vocal fold oscillatory dynamics, and sound modifications by the vocal tract. In the research projects analyzing vocal fold oscillations using high speed videoendoscopy (HSV) with a frame rate of 20,000 fps, several factors such as loudness, vowel quality, nasalance or water-resistance therapy could be identified, which can stabilize or destabilize the vocal function. In the here requested follow-up research project, further aspects of voice function and vocal fold oscillation mechanisms shall be investigated concerning stabilization and destabilization.In detail, it is examined how (1) a one-week long-term application of water resistance therapy (WRT) affects the vocalization and how such therapy using a tube system differs from a DoctorVox ® mask, which, in contrast to a tube, allows different vocal configurations. It should (2) be shown whether and to what extent a rapid increase in the parameters volume and / or fundamental frequency leads to irregularities in register transition areas in vocally healthy subjects and professional singers. With regard to surgical interventions, it is (3) planned to document whether and to what extent the stabilization of the vocal folds' ability to vibrate is given after TruBlue laser treatment in patients with organic dysphonia. With regard to the vocal resilience (4) it is examined to what extent a whisper stress test causes a destabilization of the vocal fold oscillation in healthy and dysphonic subjects and whether hydration or oral hyaluronic acid therapy contributes to stabilization. Finally, (5) the singer’s vibrato should be examined for frequency changes in the vibrational dynamics of the vocal folds. The underlying commonality of these investigations is the experimental setup with high-speed camera (transnasal), microphone systems, airflow and pressure measurement systems, electroglottography and acceleration sensors, which has also been used in the projects and which allows a physiologically mostly unaffected vocalization.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr.-Ing. Michael Döllinger