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Cerebellar voice tremor: an acoustic analysis.
1Department of Neurology, University of Tübingen, FRG.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Cerebellar disease can cause voice tremor in patients with hereditary ataxia. Acoustic analysis revealed rhythmic oscillations in voice pitch, suggesting impaired laryngeal muscle control and classifying it as a postural tremor.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Acoustic Analysis
Background:
- Cerebellar disease can manifest as dysarthria, including voice tremor.
- Hereditary ataxia is a condition affecting the cerebellum, potentially leading to motor speech disorders.
Observation:
- Acoustic analysis was performed on a patient with hereditary ataxia and cerebellar syndrome.
- Measurements included speech intensity, fundamental frequency, and spectral parameters during sustained vowel and fricative productions.
Findings:
- Sustained vowel phonation exhibited rhythmic oscillations in fundamental frequency at approximately 3 Hz.
- No corresponding periodicity was observed in the acoustic parameters of voiceless fricative production.
Implications:
- The findings suggest impaired phonatory control related to laryngeal muscle isometric activity.
- Cerebellar voice tremor can be categorized as a type of postural tremor, distinct from other dysarthria subtypes.