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[Spectrographic study of voice disorders: subharmonics]
F Núñez Batalla1, C Suárez Nieto, C Muñoz Pinto
1Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, España.
Acta Otorrinolaringologica Espanola
|May 9, 2000
Summary
Subharmonics, low-frequency modulations, are present in 31% of abnormal adult voices. Their detection offers new acoustic insights beyond jitter and shimmer for characterizing voice disorders.
Area of Science:
- Laryngology
- Acoustic analysis
- Voice pathology
Context:
- Abnormal adult voices often exhibit irregular vocal fold vibrations.
- Traditional acoustic measures like jitter and shimmer may not fully capture voice irregularities.
Purpose:
- To investigate the presence and significance of subharmonics in abnormal adult voices.
- To explore subharmonics as an additional acoustic marker for voice disorders.
Summary:
- Spectrum analysis of 115 abnormal voices revealed subharmonics in 36 (31%).
- Subharmonics, defined as low-frequency modulations between harmonics, were observed in voices with conditions like polyps, polypoid degeneration, and plicae ventricularis.
- Notably, 13 of these voices showed subharmonics despite normal jitter and shimmer, suggesting subharmonics provide distinct acoustic information.
Impact:
- Subharmonics can serve as a novel acoustic characteristic for identifying and classifying voice roughness.
- The presence of subharmonics may indicate a qualitative shift in the laryngeal vibratory system's behavior.
- This finding enhances the understanding of voice production abnormalities and diagnostic capabilities.