LXXXII The Cricothyroid Muscle during Phonation

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Abstract
The effect of cricothyroid muscle activity on the regulation of the vocal pitch and intensity was studied through simultaneous recordings of electrical potentials (EMG), aerodynamic parameters (flow rate and subglottic pressure) and acoustic parameters (pitch and intensity). Examinations of normal subjects at different pitch and intensity levels led to the following conclusions. There was a close correlation between electrical activity in the cricothyroid muscle and glottal resistance. In the chest register, vocal intensity may be controlled by either glottal resistance or subglottic power. If glottal resistance dominates, electrical activity and voice intensity vary proportionally. If subglottic power was the dominant factor, there would be no consistent relation between the electrical activity and voice intensity. High pitch phonation showed an apparent higher glottal resistance, resulting in increased electrical activity. Variations of voice intensity without change in pitch lead to synergic and compensatory mechanisms or both in the flow rate and the electrical activity.

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