Associations Between Autonomic Nervous System Function, Voice, and Dysphonia: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Laryngology
• Neurology
• Physiology

Background:

• The autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates involuntary bodily functions, including those impacting voice production.
• Dysphonia, characterized by voice disorders, may be influenced by underlying physiological changes.
• Understanding the ANS-voice connection is crucial for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of voice conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and verify the relationship between autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunctions, voice quality, and dysphonia.
• To synthesize current evidence on how ANS activity influences vocal parameters.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Searches were performed across multiple databases (PubMed/Medline, SciELO, etc.) up to April 2019.
• Nine high-quality studies involving human adults were included and analyzed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Main Results:

• The review identified a significant relationship between the autonomic nervous system and voice/dysphonia.
• Individuals with dysphonia often present with concurrent symptoms of ANS dysfunction and laryngeal muscle activation.
• Heartbeat variability was found to modulate the fundamental frequency (F0) of the human voice.

Conclusions:

• Alterations in autonomic nervous system function are demonstrably associated with both normal voice production and dysphonia.
• This highlights the importance of considering ANS status in the evaluation of voice disorders.