Anatomy and physiology of phonation

Question 1

What serves as the anterior attachment of the vocal folds?

Answer 1

anterior commissure

Question 2

What serves as the posterior attachment of the vocal folds?

Answer 2

vocal process

Question 3

What influences laryngeal movement in the vertical plane (up and down)?

Answer 3

movement of the hyoid bone

Question 4

What allows the arytenoid cartilage to swivel so that the vocal folds can adduct/abduct?

Answer 4

cricoarytenoid joint

Question 5

What components form the vocal fold cover?

Answer 5

epithelium and superficial layer of lamina propria (SLLP)

Question 6

What forces facilitate vocal fold oscillation during phonation?

Answer 6

transglottal pressure gradients and flow vertices

Question 7

How might the presence of a glottal gap influence the resulting acoustic sound spectrum?

Answer 7

It would increase the amount of noise

Question 8

What influences fundamental frequency of phonation?

Answer 8

interplay between cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid

Question 9

What plays the least important role during phonation?

Answer 9

epiglottis

Question 10

What term represents a deviation in voice quality?

Answer 10

dysphonia

Question 11

What is the primary sensory nerve for the larynx?

Answer 11

the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (of the vagus)

Question 12

What suprahyoid muscles help to elevate the larynx?

Answer 12

geniohyoid and mylohyoid

Question 13

The opening of the larynx, which is the space encircled by the aryepiglottic folds is known as…

Answer 13

laryngeal vestibule

Question 14

The space in-between the left and right true VF is known as…

Answer 14

glottis

Question 15

Supraglottal pressures generated by manipulations in the vocal tract act as a force on the vocal which influences vibration. This force is called…

Answer 15

inertive reactance

Question 16

What is a non-biological role of the larynx?

Answer 16

Serving as a vibratory source for voice production

Question 17

The vocal folds consist of a layered structure, functionally divided into the cover, vocal ligament, and body. What layers make up the vocal ligament

Answer 17

intermediate and deep lamina propria

Question 18

What muscles adduct the vocal folds?

Answer 18

lateral cricoarytenoid, interarytenoid, and thyroarytenoid (muscularis).

Question 19

What muscle is a tensor for the vocal folds?

Answer 19

cricothyroid

Question 20

The most extreme form of the laryngeal adductor reflex results in prolonged tonic contractions of the laryngeal adductor muscles, including those that adduct the ventricular folds and laryngeal vestibule. This is also knows as…

Answer 20

dysphonia

Question 21

What perceptual characteristic may clinicians “hear” indicating laryngomalacia in babies/children?

Answer 21

inhalatory stridor

Question 22

What other characteristics (pathophysiological) may present in children with laryngomalacia?

Answer 22

prolapsed arytenoids

LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux)

Question 23

What is often the result of the laryngeal adductor reflex?

Answer 23

interrupted phonation (e.g., airway protection, laryngospasm)

Question 24

What muscles are involved for speech (besides intrinsic and extrinsic)?

Answer 24

diaphragm (relax), external intercostals (relax), abdominal (tense), and internal intercostal muscles (tense)

Question 25

What is difficulty with respiration called?

Answer 25

dyspnea

Question 26

which paired cartilages aid in ADDUCTION of the VF?

Answer 26

arytenoid cartilages

Question 27

How does the epiglottis impact the laryngeal functions?

Answer 27

swallowing and resonance

Question 28

What is the purpose of the corniculate and cuniform cartilages?

Answer 28

structural support

Question 29

What are the essential connective tissues of the larynx? (for voicing purposes)

Answer 29

median and lateral cricothyroid ligaments, quadrangular membrane, aryepiglottic folds, and true and false VF

Question 30

The vocalis is also known as...

Answer 30

the "body" of the VF

Question 31

What are the extrinsic "strap" muscles of the larynx?

Answer 31

sternohyoid, sternothyroid, omohyoid, thyrohyoid, mylohyoid, geniohyoid, digastric, and stylohyoid

Question 32

Which extrinsic laryngeal muscles DEPRESS the larynx?

Answer 32

sternohyoid, sternothyroid, omohyoid, and the thyrohyoid

Question 33

Which extrinsic laryngeal muscles ELEVATE the larynx?

Answer 33

mylohyoid, geniohyoid, digastric, and stylohyoid

Question 34

What is the purpose of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx?

Answer 34

impact length and tension of the VF

Question 35

What are the intrinsic muscles of the larynx?

Answer 35

thyroarytenoid (paired- vocalis and muscularis) ventricular cricothyroid (paired- pars recta and pars oblique) lateral cricoarytenoid (paired) aryepiglottic posterior arytenoid (paired) thyroepiglottic (paired)

Question 36

Which intrinsic laryngeal muscles aid in ADDUCTION of the VF?

Answer 36

lateral cricoarytenoid (paired)

Question 37

Which intrinsic laryngeal muscles contribute to the lengthening and tension of the VF?

Answer 37

thyroarytenoid (paired- vocalis and muscularis) and cricothyroid (paired- pars recta and pars oblique)

Question 38

Which intrinsic laryngeal muscles are responsible for VF ABDUCTION or widening?

Answer 38

posterior arytenoid (paired)

Question 39

What intrinsic muscle is responsible for medial compression of the VF?

Answer 39

ventricular

Question 40

How does the thyroepiglottic muscle influence VF movement?

Answer 40

creates the diameter of the laryngeal vestibule

Question 41

What cranial nerve innervates the intrinsic laryngeal muscles?

Answer 41

cranial nerve X (vagus)

Question 42

Which branch of the vagus nerve provides motor supply to the intrinsic laryngeal muscles?

Answer 42

external laryngeal nerve

Question 43

Which branch of the vagus nerve provides sensory information to the intrinsic laryngeal muscles?

Answer 43

internal laryngeal nerve

Question 44

Which branch of the vagus nerve aids in ADDUCTION of the VF?

Answer 44

recurrent laryngeal nerve (paired)

Question 45

What is involved in the "bernoulli effect"?

Answer 45

Inertive reactance causing manipulation/shaping of the larynx and oral cavity (for resonance)

Question 46

How will shortening and relaxation of the VF impact frequency?

Answer 46

produce lower frequency

Question 47

How will tensing and elongation of the VF impact frequency?

Answer 47

produce higher frequency

Question 48

What influences vocal intensity most?

Answer 48

subglottal pressure