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Handbook of Biomaterial Properties pp 645–657Cite as

Chapter 8 Vocal Folds

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Abstract

Vocal folds are two infoldings of complex tissue housed in the larynx whose vibration, known as phonation, results in voice. To create voice, vocal folds are adducted, effectively closing the glottis or the space between them creating a pressure difference between the top and bottom of the tissue. This pressure difference, combined with Bernoulli forces and tissue elasticity, pushes the vocal folds apart and brings them back together again [1]. This rapid, sustained opening and closing cycle produces vocal fold vibration at various fundamental frequencies ranging from 0 to 300 Hz for normal vocal levels [2]. The vocal folds are multilayer structures that consist of muscle, lamina propria, and epithelium. Fundamental frequency is controlled by laryngeal muscles which alter vocal fold physical properties, such as length and thickness. The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the lamina propria contributes significantly to vocal quality. Disruption of vocal fold vibration and/or quality through muscular dysfunction, airflow disruption, or tissue damage results in disturbance of normal voice production. Vocal fold scarring, a prevalent vocal fold injury, is characterized by pathophysiologic changes to the lamina propria ECM, directly causing a marked decrease in voice quality [3].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 5118 WIMR, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Joel Gaston

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 5107 WIMR, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Susan L. Thibeault

  3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 5107 WIMR, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Susan L. Thibeault

  4. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 5107 WIMR, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Susan L. Thibeault

Authors
  1. Joel Gaston
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  2. Susan L. Thibeault
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan L. Thibeault .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin Department of Biomedical Engineering and, MADISON, Wisconsin, USA

    William Murphy

  2. King of Prussia, Principal: IMN Biomaterials King of Prussia, King of Prussia, PA, New York, USA

    Jonathan Black

  3. Staffordshire University (Emeritus), Lyme, Staffordshire, United Kingdom

    Garth Hastings

Additional Reading

Additional Reading

Miri AK. Mechanical characterization of vocal fold tissue: a review study. J Voice 2014; 28:657–67.

Caton T, Thibeault SL, Klemuk S, Smith ME. In reference to viscoelasticity of hyaluronan and nonhyaluronan based vocal fold injectables: Implications for mucosal versus muscle use—Reply. Laryngoscope 2007, 117(8): 1506–1508.

Chan RW, Titze IR. Dependence of phonation threshold pressure on vocal tract acoustics and vocal fold tissue mechanics. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2006; 119:2351–62.

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Gaston, J., Thibeault, S.L. (2016). Chapter 8 Vocal Folds. In: Murphy, W., Black, J., Hastings, G. (eds) Handbook of Biomaterial Properties. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3305-1_35

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