ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 July 1981
Page Count: 5

Current Evidence for the Existence of Laryngeal Macrotremor and Microtremor
Izdebski, K
Assistant professor, Voice Science Laboratory, University of California at San Francisco,

Shipp, T
Chief, Speech Research Laboratory, VA Medical Center, Calif.

(Received 21 July 1980; accepted 29 October 1980)

Abstract

To test for the existence of laryngeal “microtremors” two experiments were conducted on humans. The first analyzed the acoustic characteristics of observable tremors (macrotremors) in the voice of singers using vocal vibrato and in pathologic subjects producing vocal tremor. In both of these groups acoustic oscillations between 4 and 8 Hz were found. The second study, using a normal subject, sampled electromyographic (EMG) activity from laryngeal and arm muscles during isometric contraction to determine if a periodic component (microtremor) was present in either muscle's contraction pattern. A 9-Hz signal was detected in limb muscle contraction, whereas no periodicity was found in signals from laryngeal muscles. The application of these findings to the theory behind voice “stress” analyzers is discussed.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, larynx, speech

Paper ID: JFS11391J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11391J
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