Mean contact quotient using electroglottography in patients with multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect speech production, leading to dysphonia.
• Understanding laryngeal function in MS is crucial for managing voice disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the contact quotient (CQ) of sustained vowels ([a] and [e]) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and healthy controls.
• To investigate if CQ differs in MS patients with and without dysphonia.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 24 MS patients and 15 healthy controls.
• Laryngeal electroglottography was used to record sustained vowels [a] and [e].
• Analysis included fundamental frequency, mean CQ, standard deviations, and jitter.

Main Results:

• Mean CQ for sustained vowels [a] and [e] were comparable between MS patients and controls.
• Five MS patients with dysphonia showed a significantly lower mean CQ for the vowel [a] compared to controls.
• No significant differences in mean CQ were observed for the vowel [e] between MS patients with dysphonia and controls.

Conclusions:

• The mean closed quotient for sustained vowels [a] and [e] are comparable in MS patients and healthy controls.
• Dysphonia in MS patients is associated with a lower mean closed quotient for the vowel [a].
• These findings highlight the potential of electroglottography in assessing voice changes in MS.