Laryngoscopic and voice characteristics of aged persons.

Laryngoscopic and voice changes in aged persons were examined in 20 men and 20 women with a mean age of 75 years. From recordings of their voices, voice quality was assessed and the fundamental frequency and pitch perturbation were measured. The characteristic findings obtained were as follows: the aged men tended to show marked vocal fold atrophy and/or edema, with a higher fundamental frequency of voice than young men, and the aged women tended to have vocal fold edema and slight hoarseness, with a lower fundamental frequency than young women. Voice changes in senescence are characterized by slight hoarseness or a noticeable change in fundamental frequency of voice. Change in the mass of vocal folds, due, for example, to atrophy or edema, is considered to be the greatest factor in these voice changes.