Changes in the male voice at puberty: vocal fold length and its relationship to the fundamental frequency of the voice.
Ultrasound measurements of the vocal folds were taken for a number of boys passing through puberty. The boys were grouped according to their pubertal stage as defined by Tanner and there was a gradual increase in the length of the vocal folds as puberty progressed. The fundamental frequency of the boys' speaking voice was recorded via laryngography and a good correlation between the length of the vocal folds and the frequency of the voice was seen. The sudden drop in frequency seen between Tanner stages 3 and 4 did not correlate with similar changes in the length of the vocal folds at this time but stroboscopic findings suggest a change in the structure and mass of the vocal folds at this time of maximum frequency change.
Harries
M
M
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.
Hawkins
S
S
Hacking
J
J
Hughes
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D014831:Voice / Q000502:physiology*