Acoustic and Stroboscopic Characteristics of Normal Person's Voices with Advancing Age

연령증가에 따른 정상 노인의 음향분석학적 특징

Anatomic and physiological changes of the larynx with advancing age result in morphologic changes of the vocal fold and reduced control of the phonatory mechanism in elderly individuals and are reflected in increased unstability of fundamental frequency (Fo). The purpose of this study is to increase current understanding of acoustic and stroboscopic characteristics of normal elderly persons voices. First, phonated /a/ vowel productions by 40 normal adults (20 to 40 years, 20 men and 20 women) and 40 normal elderly persons (60 to 80 years,20 men and 20 women) were analyzed, using CSL (model 4300B) acoustic analysis software, to obtain acoustic measures related to fundamental frequency stability nd vocal resonance characteristics. Second, stroboscopic images of the vocal fold behavior in all subjects were analyzed by experienced specialists. In the men, fundamental frequency variation (vFe) (p＜0.01), jitter. (p＜0.05), and shimmer (p＜0.05) for the older group were significantly higher than the value for the adult group. In the stroboscopic findings, edema of vocal fold had a significant finding in aged men (15%). In the women, vFo (p＜0.05), jitter (p＜0.05), and noise to harmonic ratio (NHR) (p＜0.05) for the older group were significantly higher than the value for e adult group and first formant frequency (F1) (p＜0.01) and second formant frequency (F2) (p＜0.01) for. the older group were significantly lower than the value for the adult group. In the stroboscopic findings, vocal fold atrophy had a significant finding in aged women (25%). Frequency stability, as reflected by vFo, jitter, shimmer, and NHR, decreases with advancing age in men and women and spectral analysis of phonated /a/ vowel productions reveals the lowering of the frequency of F1 and second F2 with advancing age, especially in aged women. Change in the mass of vocal folds, due to atrophy or edema, is considered to be the greatest factor in these acoustic changes.