Panendoscopic feedback in the study of voluntary velopharyngeal movements

A videopanendoscope system was used to record velopharyngeal movements and to display those movements to subjects who produced them. Three normal adults were studied as they attempted to produce nonspeech velopharyngeal closure by use of two maneuvers: (1) laryngeal fixation and (2) modification of an elicited gag reflex. A rating system was devised to extract data from the videotapes. The findings indicated that subjects were able to utilize the videopanendoscopic feedback to guide voluntary velopharyngeal movements. The velopharyngeal movements were accompanied by larynx displacement and other neck muscle contraction. The uvula was observed to contract during some motor acts.