Descriptive Analysis of the Interactive Patterning of the Vocalization Subsystems in Healthy Participants: A Dynamic...

Area of Science:

• Voice science
• Physiology
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Normative data for voice measures reflect vocal output, not the underlying physiological process.
• Healthy phonation involves nonlinear physiological processes that vary between individuals.
• Dynamic systems theory explains emergent behaviors from interacting physiological components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the interactive nature of the vocalization subsystem triad in healthy voices.
• To determine if distinct subgroups with differing physiological patterns exist.
• To understand the physiological generation of healthy vocalization.

Main Methods:

• Collected respiratory kinematic, aerodynamic, and acoustic formant data from 29 healthy individuals.
• Utilized multivariate analyses to examine subsystem interactions.
• Employed cluster analysis to identify subgroups.

Main Results:

• While overall measures were within normative ranges, 3 distinct subgroups emerged.
• Significant differences in 7 of 9 variables were found across subgroups.
• Subgroups exhibited differing physiological patterning in vocalization.

Conclusions:

• Healthy vocal output arises from distinct physiological processes, not entirely idiosyncratic ones.
• Three subgroups represent preferred physiological patterns in vocalization.
• A revised physiological model of phonation accounting for subsystem differences is proposed.