Acoustic characteristics of voice in different cycles of life: an integrative literature review

Evelyn Alves Spazzapan,Eliana Maria Gradim Fabron,Vanessa Moraes Cardoso,Viviane Cristina de Castro Marino,Larissa Cristina Berti

doi:10.1590/1982-0216/201921315018

Evelyn Alves Spazzapan, Eliana Maria Gradim Fabron + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0216/201921315018

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Journal: Revista CEFAC	Publication Date: Jan 1, 2019
Citations: 14	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: to carry out an integrative literature review about the acoustic characteristics of healthy voice production, from childhood to old age. Methods: a bibliographic survey was conducted on the databases PubMed, SciELO, MEDLINE and LILACS, covering the last 10 years. Nineteen studies were found, meeting the proposed criteria, on acoustic measurements: F0 (fundamental frequency), jitter, shimmer and/or noise measurements, in males and females, with normal voices in their different stages of life. Results: the analysis showed that F0 is the most changing acoustic parameter as people grow up and grow old. Its values present gradual fall from childhood to old age in the female population, whereas among men such decrease lasts until adulthood. Jitter, shimmer and noise remain stable throughout childhood and adulthood, while shimmer and noise measurements increase in old age. In the literature, there is no consensus regarding increase of jitter measurements in the elderly. Conclusion: from childhood to old age, in both genders, vocal changes take place which are reflected, especially by F0. There is a scarcity of information on acoustics related to specific populations with ample age range, using the same methodology. The information in this study may guide future investigations aiming to understand natural changes occurring in the human voice, in addition to guiding in the clinical practice.

Highlights

From childhood to old age, the human voice goes through changes that may be identified through acoustic analysis[1,2,3], an objective evaluation processing the vocal signal produced in the vocal folds and estimating vibration patterns, vocal tract shape and modifications in it[4]
This review presents information regarding the acoustic analysis of voice, separated in four acoustic parameters (F0, jitter, shimmer, and noise measurements) from childhood to old age
There is an increase in shimmer measurement in the elderly population in relation to the adults[9,29,30]; it is higher in men, a fact explained by the histologic changes that take place in the elderly’s vocal fold, such as decrease in the epithelial thickness of the vocal fold and muscle fibers, in addition to the degeneration present in these fibers[32,33]

Summary

Introduction

From childhood to old age, the human voice goes through changes that may be identified through acoustic analysis[1,2,3], an objective evaluation processing the vocal signal produced in the vocal folds and estimating vibration patterns, vocal tract shape and modifications in it[4]. The acoustic analysis infers indirectly the vibration patterns of the vocal folds, as well as the vocal tract shape[4] in men and women of different age groups. This analysis offers quantitative information which enables deductions to be made on the laryngeal function, besides being a non-invasive instrument, making it easier to be used in research and in clinical practice. It provides knowledge on vocal changes that naturally take place from childhood to old age in healthy people[1,2,3]

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