A study of vocal jitter pre- and post- intense physical exercise

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Authors
Self, Michele
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Issue Date
1987
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Thesis (M.A.)
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Abstract

It is well known that an individual's age and voice are related. As people age their voices sound older or their voices age. There have been several studies conducted on various vocal characteristics in relation to the aging process. The results of these studies are sometimes conflicting. In general, it is found that the fundamental frequency (rate of glottal vibration which is heard as pitch) of the male decreases until old age and then it begins to increase. This is different in women, A woman's vocal pitch continues to decrease as she gets older. (Hudson and Holbrook, 1981).Besides fundamental frequency, other parameters of voice have been studied relating to aging. Jitter and shimmer (vocal perturbation caused by cycle-to-cycle variation in frequency and intensity) and vowel duration have been examined in the aging voice.There has been increased interest in physical fitness in the past few years. This has sparked an interest in speech pathology of the possible relationship between voice and physical fitness. Exercise affects the striated muscle tissue of the body. It is of interest as to whether or not these striated muscles of the vocal folds are affected by exercise which in turn could affect the vocal quality (fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, or vowel duration).There have only been a few studies conducted in the area relating voice perturbation to measured physical fitness levels. Therefore, the relationship between the two is still in question.

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