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Interactions between auditory and somatosensory feedback for voice F0 control
Charles R Larson1, Kenneth W Altman, Hanjun Liu
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. clarson@northwestern.edu
Experimental Brain Research
|March 15, 2008
Summary
Altering vocal fold sensation impacts voice pitch control. Anesthesia increased responses to pitch feedback, suggesting the vocal motor system integrates kinesthetic and auditory cues for voice stabilization.
Area of Science:
- Speech motor control
- Auditory-vocal interaction
- Sensory feedback mechanisms
Background:
- Voice fundamental frequency (F0) control relies on both kinesthetic and auditory feedback.
- The interplay between these sensory modalities in voice production remains incompletely understood.
- Previous research highlights the significance of sensory feedback for maintaining vocal stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between auditory and kinesthetic feedback in voice F0 control.
- To determine how altering kinesthetic feedback (via anesthesia) affects responses to auditory pitch perturbations.
Main Methods:
- Local anesthetic was administered to the vocal folds to reduce kinesthetic feedback.
- Participants experienced pitch-shifted auditory feedback perturbations during vocalization.
- A mathematical model was developed to simulate and interpret the experimental results.
Main Results:
- Responses to pitch-shifted auditory feedback were significantly larger when vocal fold kinesthesia was reduced by anesthesia.
- The experimental findings were well-simulated by a mathematical model combining kinesthetic and pitch feedback.
- Increased response magnitude under anesthesia suggests a compensatory role for auditory feedback.
Conclusions:
- The vocal motor system integrates both auditory pitch and kinesthetic feedback for stabilizing voice F0.
- Reduced kinesthetic input enhances reliance on auditory feedback for voice pitch regulation.
- These findings provide insights into the complex sensory-motor control of human voice.
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