title: A Measure of the Auditory-perceptual Quality of Strain from Electroglottographic Analysis of Continuous Dysphonic Speech: Application to Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (1) To develop an automated algorithm to analyze electroglottographic (EGG) signal in continuous dysphonic speech, and (2) to identify EGG waveform parameters that correlate with the auditory-perceptual quality of strain in the speech of patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Software development with application in a prospective controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  EGG was recorded from 12 normal speakers and 12 subjects with ADSD reading excerpts from the Rainbow Passage. Data were processed by a new algorithm developed with the specific goal of analyzing continuous dysphonic speech. The contact quotient, pulse width, a new parameter peak skew, and various contact closing slope quotient and contact opening slope quotient measures were extracted. EGG parameters were compared between normal and ADSD speech. Within the ADSD group, intra-subject comparison was also made between perceptually strained syllables and unstrained syllables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The opening slope quotient SO7525 distinguished strained syllables from unstrained syllables in continuous speech within individual subjects with ADSD. The standard deviations, but not the means, of contact quotient, EGGW50, peak skew, and SO7525 were different between normal and ADSD speakers. The strain-stress pattern in continuous speech can be visualized as color gradients based on the variation of EGG parameter values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGG parameters may provide a within-subject measure of vocal strain and serve as a marker for treatment response. The addition of EGG to multidimensional assessment may lead to improved characterization of the voice disturbance in ADSD.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Voice Care, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Keerthan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Somanath
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Voice Care, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.. Electronic address: ted.mau@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Ted
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mau
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D001331:Automation; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004568:Electrodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013067:Speech Perception; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014833:Voice Quality
keywords: EGG; continuous speech; electroglottography; spasmodic dysphonia; vocal strain