• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2013

This study proposes a method to measure mental fatigue using speech technology, which has not been used in previous research and is easier than existing complex and difficult methods. It aims at establishing a relationship between the human voice and mental fatigue based on experiments to measure the influence of mental fatigue on the human voice. Two monotonous tasks of simple calculation such as finding the sum of three one digit numbers were used to measure the feeling of monotony and two sets of subjective questionnaires were used to measure mental fatigue. While thirty subjects perform the experiment, responses to the questionnaire and speech data were collected. Speech features related to speech source and the vocal tract filter were extracted from the speech data. According to the results, speech parameters deeply related to mental fatigue are a mean and standard deviation of fundamental frequency, jitter, and shimmer. This study shows that speech technology is a useful method for measuring mental fatigue.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 1998

Objectives : To compare the objective differences in voice quality and voice problems between clergies and normal male control group. Materials and Methods : The sustained vowel sound of 46 clergies and 40 normal persons were analyzed, using a videostroboscopy and acoustic analyzer. Together with these analyses, a questionnaire associated with current and past voice problems was handed over to the patients. Results : The most common symptom in subjective group was the voice fatigue. Stroboscopic findings in subjective group were as following 23 cases(50%) of pachydermia, 17 cases(37%) of phase difference, 12 cases(25%) of anterior-posterior contracture, 6 cases(13%) of vocal polyp and 3 cases(7%) of vocal nodule. The mean maximal phonation time in clergies was 17.8 seconds and in control group was 19 seconds. litter, pitch perturbation quotient and shimmer were significantly increased in subjective group than in control group(p<0.05), but there were no significant differences between two groups in fundamental frequency, vFo, amplitude perturbation quotient and noise to harmonic ratio. Conclusion : In the clergies using loud and forceful voice, vocal polyp and functional voice disorder findings were frequently noted in stroboscopic examination. litter and shimmer, reflecting the roughness of voice, were increased in acoustic analysis. Therefore, clergies, classified into untrained professional voice users, need professional career guidance and counseling.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.12-14
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• 2019

Functional dysphonia (FD) is a disease entity which includes various voice disorders in the absence of structural or neurologic laryngeal pathology. Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD), psychogenic dysphonia are representative FD with completely different pathogenesis. Therefore there is no standard treatment modality for FD, the first step of treatment of FD is differentiating patient's voice symptoms from other organic voice disorders and other functional voice problems. MTD is a functional voice disorder caused by hyperfunction of intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal musculature. Symptoms include increased vocal effort, roughness, fatigue and odynophonia. First line for MTD is indirect or direct voice therapy. Unfortunately, many patients with MTD improve with voice therapy alone. For these patients, various modalities tried; lidocaine application, surgical excision of the false vocal folds, and botulinum toxin injection, etc. Botulinum toxin injections are widely used in the field of otolaryngology, especially for spasmodic dysphonia. However, its use in FD or MTD has only been described in few case reports. The aim of this lecture is to evaluate the feasibility of botulinum toxin injection for FD, especially MTD.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.49-59
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate vocal hygiene habits and Korean Voice-Related Quality of Life (K-VRQOL) among classical singers. A total of 128 classical singers filled an online voice and K-VRQOL questionnaire, and the results were analyzed. In order to investigate the characteristics of K-VRQOL according to age groups, and the presence or absence of a history of voice problems, we conducted a two-way ANOVA. The results are as follows. Of the 128 classical singers, 28 (21.9%) with a history of voice problems said that excessive conversation, singing practice, and yelling were the causes of their voice problems. The symptoms of voice problems were fatigue, loss of range, hoarseness, and breathiness. In addition, classical singers were less likely to smoke, or to drink alcohol or caffeine. The K-VRQOL was highly correlated with all sub-domains. There was a statistically significant difference according to age groups (p<.05) and history of voice problems (p<.01). There was no correlation between age groups and history of voice problems. Voice management is important because classical singers can ruin their voice by speaking, and the risk of voice disorder is high. Voice problems affect quality of life. In future studies, it is necessary to obtain information on the subjective voice characteristics of classical singers by examining the relationship between their voice hygiene habits and VHI, SVHI, and K-VRQOL.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 1998

Objectives : To compare the voice quality and voice problems of untrained professional voice user groups with that of normal control group without voice problem. Materials and Methods : The sustained vowel sounds of 13 male and 36 female teachers, 46 clergies and 15 telephone operators, and 40 normal male and 20 normal female persons were analyzed, using a videostroboscopy and acoustic analyzer. Together with these analyses, a questionnaire associated with risk factors for current and past voice problems was handed over to the patients. Results : The most common symptom in subjective groups was the voice fatigue. In stroboscopic examination, the professional voice user groups shelved functional voice disorder findings regardless of the Intensity of voice use. In the clergy and teacher using loud voice, vocal polyp, vocal nodule and hyperfunction of laryngeal muscle were frequently observed. In the clergy and telephone operator, jitter and shimmer were significantly increased. In the female teacher, the value of jitter, fundamental frequency variation and fundamental frequency were statiscally significant. However, the voice of male teacher showed no significant findings in the acoustic and aerodynamic studies. Conclusion : In the management of voice problems for untrained professional voice user groups, it is important to find the exact causes and patterns of voice problems, and to be individualized the management according to the causes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.16-19
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• 2014

The presbyphonia is a combination of physiological and structural changes due to aging of the larynx in elderly patients with voice problems. Some of these changes are inevitable, while others may be avoidable or reversible. The fatigue of phonation is the most common clinical symptom of the aging voice. The voice problems with aging are produced from variable causes including the organic lesions of the larynx. It is essential that the curers understand physiologic and pathologic changes of aging voice for minimizing glottal incompetence and improving vocal performance and quality of life of the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2016

Background and Objectives : After thyroidectomy, many patients experience problems report such things as reduced voice range and vocal fatigue, swallowing problems without superior and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate voice and swallowing problems before and after thyroid surgery without laryngeal nerve injury. Materials and Methods : Ninety-three patients who underwent thyroidectomy without laryngeal nerve injury and completed the follow-up evaluations were studied between June 2013 and December 2015. Each evaluation was performed preoperatively, as well as 1 week, 1 month postoperatively. Analysis was performed including voice handicap index (VHI), dysphagia handicap index (DHI), and acoustic voice analysis. Results : Patients show significant variation of parameters in the fundamental frequency (F), maximal phonation time (MPT), shimmer, jitter and soft phonation index (SPI) early after operation, and most of them showed recovery of parameters after 1month of operation. Perceptive complaint of voice and swallowing also showed significant decreased after operation (p<0.005). After 1month of operation, MPT, highest frequency and frequency ranges still showed significant decreased parameters. Comparing acoustic and perceptive parameters of total thyroidectomy and lobectomy, there was no significant changes between them except highest frequency (p=0.042). Conclusion : The results from both subjective and objective evaluations show voice and swallowing disturbance after thyroidectomy even in the absence of laryngeal nerve and provide patients information about the recovery process after surgery. Highest frequency parameter showed most significant changes after operation.