The aging voice.

A number of studies have found that listeners are often able to differentiate the voices of young and old speakers accurately. Following an overview of structural and functional changes found in studies of aging larynges, this article examines current findings on maximum phonation duration, voice quality, vocal jitter/shimmer, spectral noise, and fundamental frequency. Aging can affect vocal pitch, loudness, and quality, but such effects are highly variable across the aging population. Therefore, a thorough voice and medical examination is needed to isolate voice problems caused by vocal abuse or pathology from those due to normal aging. Pushing exercises may be a viable treatment option for those with age-related voice problems.