Analysis of the Auditory Feedback and Phonation in Normal Voices

• Published in: Annals of otology, rhinology & laryngology rhinology & laryngology, 2018-02, Vol.127 (2), p.89-98
• Main Authors: Arbeiter, Mareike, Petermann, Simon, Hoppe, Ulrich, Bohr, Christopher, Doellinger, Michael, Ziethe, Anke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Electroencephalography; Feedback, Sensory; Female; Humans; Laryngoscopy; Male; Phonation; Pitch Perception; Speech Acoustics; Voice Quality; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0003-4894; 1943-572X
• DOI: 10.1177/0003489417744567

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the auditory feedback mechanisms and voice quality during phonation in response to a spontaneous pitch change in the auditory feedback. Does the pitch shift reflex (PSR) change voice pitch and voice quality? Quantitative and qualitative voice characteristics were analyzed during the PSR. Method: Twenty-eight healthy subjects underwent transnasal high-speed video endoscopy (HSV) at 8000 fps during sustained phonation [a]. While phonating, the subjects heard their sound pitched up for 700 cents (interval of a fifth), lasting 300 milliseconds in their auditory feedback. The electroencephalography (EEG), acoustic voice signal, electroglottography (EGG), and high-speed-videoendoscopy (HSV) were analyzed to compare feedback mechanisms for the pitched and unpitched condition of the phonation paradigm statistically. Furthermore, quantitative and qualitative voice characteristics were analyzed. Results: The PSR was successfully detected within all signals of the experimental tools (EEG, EGG, acoustic voice signal, HSV). A significant increase of the perturbation measures and an increase of the values of the acoustic parameters during the PSR were observed, especially for the audio signal. Conclusions: The auditory feedback mechanism seems not only to control for voice pitch but also for voice quality aspects.