The Role of the Vocal Ligament in Vocalization

项目摘要/摘要 这项研究解决了一个重要的公共卫生问题，即开发和维护 在一生中有足够的音调变化和声音清晰度。有证据表明 通过发声训练可以保持发声的音调范围和稳定性 以及严重依赖重复俯仰滑行的治疗技术，想必是为了延长 声带韧带。不可能直接测量声带重塑的时间进程。 活体人体的韧带与运动。然而，可以从结构上得出强有力的推论 以及几个物种的机械多样性，来自组织工程，以及来自 计算建模。在这个方案中，我们结合(1)显微成像来测试胶原 多物种密度和纤维取向，(2)声带生物反应器的设计 轴向和振动应力组合及选定的生长因子，(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的人体受试者锻炼方案 控制力。虽然所有的目标都可以独立执行，但它们在 基本前提是声带韧带对音域很重要，可以随着时间的推移而变化。第一次 假设韧带可以维持高张力(高达1兆帕)，以满足高基本面 频率。第二种假设是声带韧带在声带中起着稳定器的作用。 声门关闭的姿势和保持一致的直折边缘。重复使用的剂量 拉伸是为体外工程组织和人体受试者练习而设计的。结果 将使一大批声音活跃但声音出现的人受益 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.