Immediate effects of cochlear implantation on voice quality

Abstract

Seminal quantitative group acoustic data are presented on voice quality changes following electrical stimulation (ES) of the auditory nerve via a single-channel cochlear implant (CI). It was found that the fundamental frequency (Fo) of our patients was significantly lower after the first day of ES, while intensity and speaking duration were not significantly different from pre-CI values. These results suggest that the CI provides enough frequency information less than 300 Hz to permit immediate and independent alterations in voice Fo towards normal-hearing speakers values. Our findings also indicate that intensity and speaking duration require additional time before differences found become significant. Longitudinal data are still needed to determine if Fo continues to lower and if intensity and/or speaking duration change significantly to approximate values observed in normal-hearing individuals.

Principais características da produção vocal do deficiente auditivo

“…Estudos comparativos comprovaram que existem efeitos imediatos na qualidade vocal de indivíduos surdos que foram submetidos ao implante coclear, com ganhos na freqüência fundamental e na intensidade vocal, no pitch e na loudness, além de apresentarem maior controle na ressonância, devido aos efeitos do retorno auditivo. Mas é enfatizado que para que essas mudanças ocorram, torna-se imprescindí-vel a estimulação e o treinamento auditivo, e em muitos casos, o trabalho fonoaudiológico para adequação do comportamento vocal [18][19][20] . Crianças que recebem o implante coclear na fase pré-lingüística (ou seja, até o 3º ano de vida), apresentam um melhor controle acústico sobre sua fala, normalizando sua freqüência fundamental e melhorando sua habilidade articulatória 21 .…”

Acoustic Voice Analysis of Prelingually Deaf Adults Before and After Cochlear Implantation

“…These characteristics include abnormal variations in speech rate, 2,3 increased voice intensity, 4 variability in fundamental frequency (F 0 ), 2,3,5,6 abnormal intonation contours, 3,6 inaccurate production of vowels, 2,7-9 excessive nasality and/or resonance irregularities, 10-12 irregular tongue positioning, 2,13-15 and inadequate laryngeal function. [15][16][17][18] Research has shown that after prolonged hearing loss, postlingually deaf adults can develop voice and speech abnormalities similar to prelingually deaf adults including deviations in intonation, 19 pitch/F 0 , 19,20 speech rate [19][20][21] and vowel duration, 19,20 nasality, 19 articulation, 19,20 voice intensity, 19,22 and tongue positioning. 23 However, postlingually deaf adults have been shown to effectively regain speech discrimination, voice quality, and speech production capabilities following implantation.…”

“…23 However, postlingually deaf adults have been shown to effectively regain speech discrimination, voice quality, and speech production capabilities following implantation. 22,[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] Improvements in speech production and voice quality characteristics result from the restoration of auditory feedback, which allows speakers to regain the ability to monitor and modify their speech.…”

The effect of cochlear implantation and post-operative rehabilitation on acoustic voice analysis in post-lingual hearing impaired adults

“…Some studies have reported that, with a long duration of hearing loss, post-lingual deaf adults can develop some abnormalities in their voice and speech characteristics similar to those developed in pre-lingual deaf adults, including deviations in: intonation, pitch, speech rate, vowel duration, nasality, articulation, voice intensity, and tongue positioning [1,[4][5][6]. However, since the introduction of cochlear implantation in the management of hearing impairment, post-lingual deafened individuals have reported signiWcant improvements in their communicative abilities including voice and speech abnormalities [3].…”

“…However, there are certain factors which determine to what level this improvement can occur such as duration of hearing loss and eVect of post-cochlear implantation therapy [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. The present study examines the eVect of cochlear implantation and post-operative speech rehabilitation on voice characteristics in post-lingual hearing impaired Saudi adults with diVerent durations of hearing loss.…”