The Role of the Vocal Ligament in Vocalization

项目总结/摘要 这项研究解决了一个重要的公共卫生问题，发展和维护 足够的音高变化和声音清晰度。证据 通过发声训练，可以保持发声的音高范围和稳定性 和治疗技术，严重依赖于重复的音高滑行，大概是为了拉伸 声带韧带直接测量嗓音重塑的时间过程是不可能的 韧带与运动的关系。然而，从结构上可以得出强有力的推论， 和机械多样性，从组织工程， 计算建模在这个建议中，我们联合收割机（1）显微成像测试胶原蛋白 密度和纤维取向的多个物种，（2）生物反应器设计的声带， 组合轴向应力和振动应力以及选定的生长因子，（3）有限元计算机 建模以预测声带内收的基频范围和稳定性，以及（4） 增加基频范围和声音内收人类受试者锻炼协议 控制虽然这些目标都可以独立执行，但它们在 基本前提是，声带对于fo范围至关重要，并且可以随时间变化。第一 假设是韧带可以承受高张力（高达1 MPa），用于高基础 频率.第二种假设是声韧带在声带中起稳定作用 姿势和保持一致的直折叠边缘声门关闭。重复剂量 拉伸被设计用于体外工程组织和人体锻炼。结果 将使大量的声音活跃但声音出现在 生理上虚弱的或年老的。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This research addresses an important public health concern, the development and maintenance of adequate pitch variation and vocal clarity throughout the life span. Evidence has been growing that vocal pitch range and stability of vocalization can be maintained with voice training and therapy techniques that rely heavily on repeated pitch glides, presumably to stretch the vocal ligament. It is impossible to measure directly the time-course of remodeling the vocal ligament with exercise in live humans. However, strong inferences can be drawn from structural and mechanical diversity across several species, from tissue engineering, and from computational modeling. In this proposal, we combine (1) microscopic imaging to test collagen density and fiber orientation in multiple species, (2) bioreactor design of a vocal ligament with combined axial and vibrational stress and selected growth factors, (3) finite-element computer modeling to predict fundamental frequency ranges and stability in vocal fold adduction, and (4) human subject exercise protocols to increase fundamental frequency range and vocal adduction control. While the aims can all be executed independently, they cross-validate each other on the basic premise that the vocal ligament is critical for fo range and can change over time. A first hypothesis is that the ligament can sustain high tension (up to 1 MPa) for high fundamental frequencies. A second hypothesis is that the vocal ligament serves as a stabilizer in vocal fold posturing and maintaining a consistently straight fold edge for glottal closure. Doses of repeated stretching are designed for engineering tissue in vitro and for human subject exercises. Results will benefit a large population of people who are vocally active but whose voices appear physiologically weak or aged.