Physiologic stages of vocal reaction time.
A simple vocal reaction time (RT) task was performed by 10 male subjects while measures from intrinsic laryngeal muscles and subglottal air pressure were obtained simultaneously. Based only on each subject's fastest time among 15 trials, RT values were similar to the latencies previously observed in normal subjects. The mean of the subjects' fastest trials was 185 ms (range: 160-250 ms). Shortest latency values obtained for each measure were interarytenoid muscle, 50 ms; thyroarytenoid muscle, 60 ms; posterior cricoarytenoid muscle, 80 ms; subglottal air pressure rise, 125 ms. From these data estimates were made of 115 ms for the shortest respiratory system latency and 25 ms for the minimal central processing time. These data suggest that fastest vocal RTs are determined principally by the temporal constraints involved in activating pulmonary rather than laryngeal structures.
D000328:Adult; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D007830:Larynx / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010699:Phonation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014831:Voice