Πέμπτη 31 Αυγούστου 2017

Tympanometric assessment of Eustachian tube function as a prognostic indicator in myringoplasty

Suresh Babu Undavalli, Narayan Hanumanth Rao Kulkarni, Sukrit Bose, Anuradha Ananthaneni

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):14-18

Aim To determine eustachian tube function in tubo-tympanic type of chronic ear disease and correlate it with pathological changes in middle ear. Objective To ascertain whether eustachian tube function had any demeanor upon the outcome of myringoplasty. Backgound The prevailing interest in the patho-physiology of the eustachian tube has been stimulated by the persistent incidence of middle ear effusion and chronic otitis media. The ongoing sophistication in current middle ear reconstructive surgery has added more dimensions to the study of eustachian tube and its effects in the course of reconstructive middle ear surgery. One of the prime elements accountable for failure of reconstructive middle ear surgery has been tubal dysfunction. Method In the present study eustachian tube function was evaluated in in 30 patients who were undergoing myringoplasty for tubo-tympanic type of chronic suppurative otitis media having central perforation by tuning fork tests, microscopic evaluation of the middle ear mucosa and Impedance audiometry. Results 70% of the myringoplasty cases had good surgical outcome and of the 24 cases that had good eustation tube function 87.5% had successful surgical outcome remaining cases had recurrence of otorrhea. Conclusion The results were validating good eustachain tube function as a criterion for electing cases under middle ear reconstructive surgery and Impedance audiometer assures a superlative means of appraising Eustachain tube function.

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The role of antibiotics in treating secretory otitis media in children aged 2–12 years in an accredited teaching hospital in southeast Asia

Sarmishtha De, Kamal Kachhawa, Arun Gambhir, Rajesh K Jain, Rasmirekha Behera, Sanjay K Diwan, Sanjay Kumar

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):6-9

Introduction Secretory otitis media (SOM) is the most common clinical condition that can cause conductive deafness, especially among school-going children. The outcomes of hearing loss in children include speech problems, behavioral problems, and poor academic performance. Management of SOM therefore remains crucial. We carried out a comparative study of antibiotics versus surgical therapy for the treatment of SOM. Patients and methods The present study included 50 patients. Detailed history taking with ENT examinations was performed and documented in a validated pro forma. Routine investigations such as complete blood count, urine examination, audiological investigation such as impedance audiometry, etc, were carried out. Observation and results About 70% of the patients presented with symptoms of ear block with mouth breathing. Increased incidence was found in the 2–6 years age group. The present showed that surgery can increase the rate of recovery, shorten the duration of therapy, and prevent the recurrence of SOM compared with treatment with antibiotics. Conclusion Both the treatments have complications associated with them. Large, well-controlled studies can help resolve the risk–benefit ratio by measuring SOM recurrence, functional outcome, quality of life, and long-term outcomes.

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Sound therapy for tinnitus patients

Mohamed I Shabana, Abeir O Dabbous, Ayman M.M. Abdelkarim

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):1-5

Sound therapy, or use of any sound for the purposes of tinnitus management, is widely accepted as a management tool for tinnitus. Sound therapy have varying goals. Reducing the attention drawn to tinnitus, reducing the loudness of tinnitus, substituting a less disruptive noise. Sound therapy can be achieved with many modalities: Environmental Enrichment, tinnitus maskers, hearing aids and combination instruments such as: Danalogic iFIT Tinnitus, ReSound Live TS, Oticon’s Tinnitus “SoundSupport”, Phonak’s Tinnitus Balance and Widex Zen Fractal Tones. There are other sound devices e.g.: Acoustic Co-ordinated Reset, Neuromodulation, Serenade, Neuromonics, Phase-Out, Phase-shift and tinnitus inhibitory pathway activation. The advantages of sound therapy are: being non-invasive, reduce patient frustration and anxiety, some patients experience residual inhibition and it can facilitate patient’s habituation to tinnitus.

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Hearing profile in children with allergic rhinitis

Adekunle Adeyemo, Josephine Eziyi, Yemisi Amusa, Sanyaolu Ameye

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):10-13

Objective We carried out this study to determine the profile of hearing of children with allergic rhinitis compared with normal controls. Patients and methods Children with allergic rhinitis between the ages of 4 and 16 years attending the Otorhinolaryngology Clinics as well as age-matched and sex-matched controls were recruited into this study. We obtained the participants’ bio data, symptoms and duration using a structured interviewer questionnaire. We then carried out a pure tone audiometry on the participants. The degree of hearing loss was determined on the basis of the WHO standard classification. Results We recruited 99 children with clinical evidence of allergic rhinitis and an equal number of healthy controls completed the study. The mean age was 9.19±3.98 years in the test participants and 9.35±4.05 years in the controls, respectively. Mild hearing loss on the right side was more than twice as common among patients, 24 (24.2%), compared with the controls, 11(11.1%). Left-sided mild hearing loss was more than four times more prevalent among patients with allergic rhinitis, 26 (26.3%), compared with the controls, six (6.1%). Hearing threshold worse than 25 dB hearing level in the better-hearing ear was found to be significantly more prevalent among patients compared with the controls. Conclusion We could conclude that hearing is significantly worse in allergic children compared with controls, with disabling hearing loss being more significantly associated with allergic rhinitis.

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Comparison of two hearing aid fitting formulae in improving the patients’ satisfaction with amplification for experienced hearing aid users

Mohamed Shabana, Mona H Selim, Salwa M Abd El-Latif, Mona M Hamdy, Mai M El-Gohary

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):19-25

Introduction The effectiveness of real word satisfaction is very important for optimal hearing aid (HA) fitting, which can be assessed using self-report questionnaires. The Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI) and Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) are useful tools for assessing the effectiveness of HA in achieving patient satisfaction. Patients and methods This study included 20 hearing-impaired adults. Their hearing thresholds ranged from moderate to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss and had previous experience with HAs. Their ages ranged from 18 to 60 years, and the mean duration of HA experience was 3.85±5.02 years. Participants were examined in three scheduled sessions: unaided, aided National Acoustics Laboratories-Nonlinear 2 (NAL-NL2), and aided desired sensation level (DSL) v5. Each session was scheduled 2 months after the previous session. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the COSI and APHAB questionnaires for each HA fitting formulae. Results Both formulae have improved patient’s five client needs of the COSI; however, NAL-NL2 had better final ability score compared with DSL v5. Using the APHAB questionnaire, both formulae have decreased the listening difficulty score significantly. Using APHAB questionnaire, NAL-NL2 showed significantly less listening difficulty compared with DSL v5 as regards difficulties in ease of communication, broadband noise, and reverberation. However, both formulae did not improve ‘aversiveness’ conditions. Conclusion Questionnaires are equally important to audiometric tests and should not be underestimated and hence should be relied upon it in HA-fitting verification.

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Tympanometric assessment of Eustachian tube function as a prognostic indicator in myringoplasty

Suresh Babu Undavalli, Narayan Hanumanth Rao Kulkarni, Sukrit Bose, Anuradha Ananthaneni

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):14-18

Aim To determine eustachian tube function in tubo-tympanic type of chronic ear disease and correlate it with pathological changes in middle ear. Objective To ascertain whether eustachian tube function had any demeanor upon the outcome of myringoplasty. Backgound The prevailing interest in the patho-physiology of the eustachian tube has been stimulated by the persistent incidence of middle ear effusion and chronic otitis media. The ongoing sophistication in current middle ear reconstructive surgery has added more dimensions to the study of eustachian tube and its effects in the course of reconstructive middle ear surgery. One of the prime elements accountable for failure of reconstructive middle ear surgery has been tubal dysfunction. Method In the present study eustachian tube function was evaluated in in 30 patients who were undergoing myringoplasty for tubo-tympanic type of chronic suppurative otitis media having central perforation by tuning fork tests, microscopic evaluation of the middle ear mucosa and Impedance audiometry. Results 70% of the myringoplasty cases had good surgical outcome and of the 24 cases that had good eustation tube function 87.5% had successful surgical outcome remaining cases had recurrence of otorrhea. Conclusion The results were validating good eustachain tube function as a criterion for electing cases under middle ear reconstructive surgery and Impedance audiometer assures a superlative means of appraising Eustachain tube function.

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The role of antibiotics in treating secretory otitis media in children aged 2–12 years in an accredited teaching hospital in southeast Asia

Sarmishtha De, Kamal Kachhawa, Arun Gambhir, Rajesh K Jain, Rasmirekha Behera, Sanjay K Diwan, Sanjay Kumar

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):6-9

Introduction Secretory otitis media (SOM) is the most common clinical condition that can cause conductive deafness, especially among school-going children. The outcomes of hearing loss in children include speech problems, behavioral problems, and poor academic performance. Management of SOM therefore remains crucial. We carried out a comparative study of antibiotics versus surgical therapy for the treatment of SOM. Patients and methods The present study included 50 patients. Detailed history taking with ENT examinations was performed and documented in a validated pro forma. Routine investigations such as complete blood count, urine examination, audiological investigation such as impedance audiometry, etc, were carried out. Observation and results About 70% of the patients presented with symptoms of ear block with mouth breathing. Increased incidence was found in the 2–6 years age group. The present showed that surgery can increase the rate of recovery, shorten the duration of therapy, and prevent the recurrence of SOM compared with treatment with antibiotics. Conclusion Both the treatments have complications associated with them. Large, well-controlled studies can help resolve the risk–benefit ratio by measuring SOM recurrence, functional outcome, quality of life, and long-term outcomes.

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Sound therapy for tinnitus patients

Mohamed I Shabana, Abeir O Dabbous, Ayman M.M. Abdelkarim

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):1-5

Sound therapy, or use of any sound for the purposes of tinnitus management, is widely accepted as a management tool for tinnitus. Sound therapy have varying goals. Reducing the attention drawn to tinnitus, reducing the loudness of tinnitus, substituting a less disruptive noise. Sound therapy can be achieved with many modalities: Environmental Enrichment, tinnitus maskers, hearing aids and combination instruments such as: Danalogic iFIT Tinnitus, ReSound Live TS, Oticon’s Tinnitus “SoundSupport”, Phonak’s Tinnitus Balance and Widex Zen Fractal Tones. There are other sound devices e.g.: Acoustic Co-ordinated Reset, Neuromodulation, Serenade, Neuromonics, Phase-Out, Phase-shift and tinnitus inhibitory pathway activation. The advantages of sound therapy are: being non-invasive, reduce patient frustration and anxiety, some patients experience residual inhibition and it can facilitate patient’s habituation to tinnitus.

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Hearing profile in children with allergic rhinitis

Adekunle Adeyemo, Josephine Eziyi, Yemisi Amusa, Sanyaolu Ameye

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):10-13

Objective We carried out this study to determine the profile of hearing of children with allergic rhinitis compared with normal controls. Patients and methods Children with allergic rhinitis between the ages of 4 and 16 years attending the Otorhinolaryngology Clinics as well as age-matched and sex-matched controls were recruited into this study. We obtained the participants’ bio data, symptoms and duration using a structured interviewer questionnaire. We then carried out a pure tone audiometry on the participants. The degree of hearing loss was determined on the basis of the WHO standard classification. Results We recruited 99 children with clinical evidence of allergic rhinitis and an equal number of healthy controls completed the study. The mean age was 9.19±3.98 years in the test participants and 9.35±4.05 years in the controls, respectively. Mild hearing loss on the right side was more than twice as common among patients, 24 (24.2%), compared with the controls, 11(11.1%). Left-sided mild hearing loss was more than four times more prevalent among patients with allergic rhinitis, 26 (26.3%), compared with the controls, six (6.1%). Hearing threshold worse than 25 dB hearing level in the better-hearing ear was found to be significantly more prevalent among patients compared with the controls. Conclusion We could conclude that hearing is significantly worse in allergic children compared with controls, with disabling hearing loss being more significantly associated with allergic rhinitis.

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Comparison of two hearing aid fitting formulae in improving the patients’ satisfaction with amplification for experienced hearing aid users

Mohamed Shabana, Mona H Selim, Salwa M Abd El-Latif, Mona M Hamdy, Mai M El-Gohary

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):19-25

Introduction The effectiveness of real word satisfaction is very important for optimal hearing aid (HA) fitting, which can be assessed using self-report questionnaires. The Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI) and Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) are useful tools for assessing the effectiveness of HA in achieving patient satisfaction. Patients and methods This study included 20 hearing-impaired adults. Their hearing thresholds ranged from moderate to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss and had previous experience with HAs. Their ages ranged from 18 to 60 years, and the mean duration of HA experience was 3.85±5.02 years. Participants were examined in three scheduled sessions: unaided, aided National Acoustics Laboratories-Nonlinear 2 (NAL-NL2), and aided desired sensation level (DSL) v5. Each session was scheduled 2 months after the previous session. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the COSI and APHAB questionnaires for each HA fitting formulae. Results Both formulae have improved patient’s five client needs of the COSI; however, NAL-NL2 had better final ability score compared with DSL v5. Using the APHAB questionnaire, both formulae have decreased the listening difficulty score significantly. Using APHAB questionnaire, NAL-NL2 showed significantly less listening difficulty compared with DSL v5 as regards difficulties in ease of communication, broadband noise, and reverberation. However, both formulae did not improve ‘aversiveness’ conditions. Conclusion Questionnaires are equally important to audiometric tests and should not be underestimated and hence should be relied upon it in HA-fitting verification.

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Tympanometric assessment of Eustachian tube function as a prognostic indicator in myringoplasty

Suresh Babu Undavalli, Narayan Hanumanth Rao Kulkarni, Sukrit Bose, Anuradha Ananthaneni

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):14-18

Aim To determine eustachian tube function in tubo-tympanic type of chronic ear disease and correlate it with pathological changes in middle ear. Objective To ascertain whether eustachian tube function had any demeanor upon the outcome of myringoplasty. Backgound The prevailing interest in the patho-physiology of the eustachian tube has been stimulated by the persistent incidence of middle ear effusion and chronic otitis media. The ongoing sophistication in current middle ear reconstructive surgery has added more dimensions to the study of eustachian tube and its effects in the course of reconstructive middle ear surgery. One of the prime elements accountable for failure of reconstructive middle ear surgery has been tubal dysfunction. Method In the present study eustachian tube function was evaluated in in 30 patients who were undergoing myringoplasty for tubo-tympanic type of chronic suppurative otitis media having central perforation by tuning fork tests, microscopic evaluation of the middle ear mucosa and Impedance audiometry. Results 70% of the myringoplasty cases had good surgical outcome and of the 24 cases that had good eustation tube function 87.5% had successful surgical outcome remaining cases had recurrence of otorrhea. Conclusion The results were validating good eustachain tube function as a criterion for electing cases under middle ear reconstructive surgery and Impedance audiometer assures a superlative means of appraising Eustachain tube function.

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The role of antibiotics in treating secretory otitis media in children aged 2–12 years in an accredited teaching hospital in southeast Asia

Sarmishtha De, Kamal Kachhawa, Arun Gambhir, Rajesh K Jain, Rasmirekha Behera, Sanjay K Diwan, Sanjay Kumar

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):6-9

Introduction Secretory otitis media (SOM) is the most common clinical condition that can cause conductive deafness, especially among school-going children. The outcomes of hearing loss in children include speech problems, behavioral problems, and poor academic performance. Management of SOM therefore remains crucial. We carried out a comparative study of antibiotics versus surgical therapy for the treatment of SOM. Patients and methods The present study included 50 patients. Detailed history taking with ENT examinations was performed and documented in a validated pro forma. Routine investigations such as complete blood count, urine examination, audiological investigation such as impedance audiometry, etc, were carried out. Observation and results About 70% of the patients presented with symptoms of ear block with mouth breathing. Increased incidence was found in the 2–6 years age group. The present showed that surgery can increase the rate of recovery, shorten the duration of therapy, and prevent the recurrence of SOM compared with treatment with antibiotics. Conclusion Both the treatments have complications associated with them. Large, well-controlled studies can help resolve the risk–benefit ratio by measuring SOM recurrence, functional outcome, quality of life, and long-term outcomes.

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Sound therapy for tinnitus patients

Mohamed I Shabana, Abeir O Dabbous, Ayman M.M. Abdelkarim

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):1-5

Sound therapy, or use of any sound for the purposes of tinnitus management, is widely accepted as a management tool for tinnitus. Sound therapy have varying goals. Reducing the attention drawn to tinnitus, reducing the loudness of tinnitus, substituting a less disruptive noise. Sound therapy can be achieved with many modalities: Environmental Enrichment, tinnitus maskers, hearing aids and combination instruments such as: Danalogic iFIT Tinnitus, ReSound Live TS, Oticon’s Tinnitus “SoundSupport”, Phonak’s Tinnitus Balance and Widex Zen Fractal Tones. There are other sound devices e.g.: Acoustic Co-ordinated Reset, Neuromodulation, Serenade, Neuromonics, Phase-Out, Phase-shift and tinnitus inhibitory pathway activation. The advantages of sound therapy are: being non-invasive, reduce patient frustration and anxiety, some patients experience residual inhibition and it can facilitate patient’s habituation to tinnitus.

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Hearing profile in children with allergic rhinitis

Adekunle Adeyemo, Josephine Eziyi, Yemisi Amusa, Sanyaolu Ameye

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):10-13

Objective We carried out this study to determine the profile of hearing of children with allergic rhinitis compared with normal controls. Patients and methods Children with allergic rhinitis between the ages of 4 and 16 years attending the Otorhinolaryngology Clinics as well as age-matched and sex-matched controls were recruited into this study. We obtained the participants’ bio data, symptoms and duration using a structured interviewer questionnaire. We then carried out a pure tone audiometry on the participants. The degree of hearing loss was determined on the basis of the WHO standard classification. Results We recruited 99 children with clinical evidence of allergic rhinitis and an equal number of healthy controls completed the study. The mean age was 9.19±3.98 years in the test participants and 9.35±4.05 years in the controls, respectively. Mild hearing loss on the right side was more than twice as common among patients, 24 (24.2%), compared with the controls, 11(11.1%). Left-sided mild hearing loss was more than four times more prevalent among patients with allergic rhinitis, 26 (26.3%), compared with the controls, six (6.1%). Hearing threshold worse than 25 dB hearing level in the better-hearing ear was found to be significantly more prevalent among patients compared with the controls. Conclusion We could conclude that hearing is significantly worse in allergic children compared with controls, with disabling hearing loss being more significantly associated with allergic rhinitis.

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Comparison of two hearing aid fitting formulae in improving the patients’ satisfaction with amplification for experienced hearing aid users

Mohamed Shabana, Mona H Selim, Salwa M Abd El-Latif, Mona M Hamdy, Mai M El-Gohary

Advanced Arab Academy of Audio-Vestibulogy Journal 2017 4(1):19-25

Introduction The effectiveness of real word satisfaction is very important for optimal hearing aid (HA) fitting, which can be assessed using self-report questionnaires. The Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI) and Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) are useful tools for assessing the effectiveness of HA in achieving patient satisfaction. Patients and methods This study included 20 hearing-impaired adults. Their hearing thresholds ranged from moderate to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss and had previous experience with HAs. Their ages ranged from 18 to 60 years, and the mean duration of HA experience was 3.85±5.02 years. Participants were examined in three scheduled sessions: unaided, aided National Acoustics Laboratories-Nonlinear 2 (NAL-NL2), and aided desired sensation level (DSL) v5. Each session was scheduled 2 months after the previous session. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the COSI and APHAB questionnaires for each HA fitting formulae. Results Both formulae have improved patient’s five client needs of the COSI; however, NAL-NL2 had better final ability score compared with DSL v5. Using the APHAB questionnaire, both formulae have decreased the listening difficulty score significantly. Using APHAB questionnaire, NAL-NL2 showed significantly less listening difficulty compared with DSL v5 as regards difficulties in ease of communication, broadband noise, and reverberation. However, both formulae did not improve ‘aversiveness’ conditions. Conclusion Questionnaires are equally important to audiometric tests and should not be underestimated and hence should be relied upon it in HA-fitting verification.

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Applying Item Response Theory to the Development of a Screening Adaptation of the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation–Second Edition

Purpose
Item response theory (IRT) is a psychometric approach to measurement that uses latent trait abilities (e.g., speech sound production skills) to model performance on individual items that vary by difficulty and discrimination. An IRT analysis was applied to preschoolers' productions of the words on the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation–Second Edition (GFTA-2) to identify candidates for a screening measure of speech sound production skills.
Method
The phoneme accuracies from 154 preschoolers, with speech skills on the GFTA-2 ranging from the 1st to above the 90th percentile, were analyzed with a 2-parameter logistic model.
Results
A total of 108 of the 232 phonemes from stimuli in the sounds-in-words subtest fit the IRT model. These phonemes, and subgroups of the most difficult of these phonemes, correlated significantly with the children's overall percentile scores on the GFTA-2. Regression equations calculated for the 5 and 10 most difficult phonemes predicted overall percentile score at levels commensurate with other screening measures.
Conclusions
These results suggest that speech production accuracy can be screened effectively with a small number of sounds. They motivate further research toward the development of a screening measure of children's speech sound production skills whose stimuli consist of a limited number of difficult phonemes.

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Applying Item Response Theory to the Development of a Screening Adaptation of the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation–Second Edition

Purpose
Item response theory (IRT) is a psychometric approach to measurement that uses latent trait abilities (e.g., speech sound production skills) to model performance on individual items that vary by difficulty and discrimination. An IRT analysis was applied to preschoolers' productions of the words on the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation–Second Edition (GFTA-2) to identify candidates for a screening measure of speech sound production skills.
Method
The phoneme accuracies from 154 preschoolers, with speech skills on the GFTA-2 ranging from the 1st to above the 90th percentile, were analyzed with a 2-parameter logistic model.
Results
A total of 108 of the 232 phonemes from stimuli in the sounds-in-words subtest fit the IRT model. These phonemes, and subgroups of the most difficult of these phonemes, correlated significantly with the children's overall percentile scores on the GFTA-2. Regression equations calculated for the 5 and 10 most difficult phonemes predicted overall percentile score at levels commensurate with other screening measures.
Conclusions
These results suggest that speech production accuracy can be screened effectively with a small number of sounds. They motivate further research toward the development of a screening measure of children's speech sound production skills whose stimuli consist of a limited number of difficult phonemes.

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Applying Item Response Theory to the Development of a Screening Adaptation of the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation–Second Edition

Purpose
Item response theory (IRT) is a psychometric approach to measurement that uses latent trait abilities (e.g., speech sound production skills) to model performance on individual items that vary by difficulty and discrimination. An IRT analysis was applied to preschoolers' productions of the words on the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation–Second Edition (GFTA-2) to identify candidates for a screening measure of speech sound production skills.
Method
The phoneme accuracies from 154 preschoolers, with speech skills on the GFTA-2 ranging from the 1st to above the 90th percentile, were analyzed with a 2-parameter logistic model.
Results
A total of 108 of the 232 phonemes from stimuli in the sounds-in-words subtest fit the IRT model. These phonemes, and subgroups of the most difficult of these phonemes, correlated significantly with the children's overall percentile scores on the GFTA-2. Regression equations calculated for the 5 and 10 most difficult phonemes predicted overall percentile score at levels commensurate with other screening measures.
Conclusions
These results suggest that speech production accuracy can be screened effectively with a small number of sounds. They motivate further research toward the development of a screening measure of children's speech sound production skills whose stimuli consist of a limited number of difficult phonemes.

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Effects of Aging on Vocal Fundamental Frequency and Vowel Formants in Men and Women

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Publication date: Available online 30 August 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Julie Traub Eichhorn, Raymond D. Kent, Diane Austin, Houri K. Vorperian
PurposeThis study reports data on vocal fundamental frequency (fo) and the first four formant frequencies (F1, F2, F3, F4) for four vowels produced by speakers in three adult age cohorts, in a test of the null hypothesis that there are no age-related changes in these variables. Participants were 43 men and 53 women between the ages of 20 and 92 years.ResultsThe most consistent age-related effect was a decrease in fo for women. Significant differences in F1, F2, and F3 were vowel-specific for both sexes. No significant differences were observed for the highest formant F4.ConclusionsWomen experience a significant decrease in fo, which is likely related to menopause. Formant frequencies of the corner vowels change little across several decades of adult life, either because physiological aging has small effects on these variables or because individuals compensate for age-related changes in anatomy and physiology.



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A New Relationship

How I craved you in my youth. The bigger your roar, the less I could resist you. The harder you shook everything that was supposed to be stationary, the closer I moved in. I needed to experience you up close and personal. You brought the style to a musical gathering. If my cheeks did not tremble in your pressure wave, I was not close enough to the speakers or the stage. 



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