Sensory Function in Idiopathic Voice Disorders

You may not qualify if:

• Any patient with a history of airway obstruction will be excluded from the study.
• No smokers or tobacco users will be included in the study.
• Subjects with a history of a psychiatric disorder, under the care of a psychiatrist, or on medications for treatment of a psychiatric disorder will be excluded from study. Examples of psychiatric disorders to be excluded are: somatoform disorders, conversion disorders, currently under treatment for a major depression, or a history of schizophrenia or a bipolar disorder. However, a history of a previous episode of a minor reactive depression would not exclude a person from participation.
• Any individual with: 1) an implant or surgical clip - implanted neural stimulator, implanted cardiac pacemaker or autodefibrillator, cochlear implant, ocular implant, aneurysm clip, artificial heart valve, insulin pump, orthopedic pins or prosthesis: 2) a foreign body - metal shavings, shrapnel, orthodontic braces, tattoos or permanent eye liner; and/or, 3) any other implanted device or foreign body not listed above that is possibly ferromagnetic will also be excluded from study seven because of contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging.
• Symptoms present during speech and not apparent at rest.
• Symptoms less evident during whisper, singing or falsetto.
• Symptoms become worse with prolonged speaking, practice or anxiety.
• Reflexive and emotional aspects of voice function are unaffected, such as coughing, laughter or crying.
• Any patient with a history of airway obstruction will be excluded from the study. Structural abnormalities affecting the larynx such as vocal fold nodules, polyps, carcinoma, cysts, contact ulcers, or inflammation (laryngitis).
• Reduction in vocal fold movement range during non-speech tasks such as whistling which would suggest either paralysis or paresis, joint abnormality or neoplasm.
• No smokers or tobacco users will be included in the study.
• Subjects with a history of a psychiatric disorder, under the care of a psychiatrist, or on medications for treatment of a psychiatric disorder will be excluded from study. Examples of psychiatric disorders to be excluded are: somatoform disorders, conversion disorders, currently under treatment for a major depression, or a history of schizophrenia or a bipolar disorder. However, a history of a previous episode of a minor reactive depression would not exclude a person from participation.
• Although patients with neurological disorders are excluded, certain focal dystonias which occasionally occur simultaneously with spasmodic dysphonia, will not automatically exclude a patient from participating. The determination will be made at the discretion of the Laryngeal and Speech Section Team.
• Although structural abnormalities of the larynx will cause a patient to be excluded, those that have had previous laryngeal surgery will not automatically be disqualified if they remain measurably symptomatic with their voice disorder. The determination will be made at the discretion of the Laryngeal and Speech Section Team.
• Patients whose symptoms vary during their initial interview, and/or who report periods of symptom remission and are atypical of spasmodic dysphonia will not be included.
• +40 more criteria