Understanding and treating chronic voice strain from vocal misuse
Modeling biomechanical, aero-acoustic, and auditory-motor control mechanisms of vocal hyperfunction
This center will use personalized computer models, voice recordings, and hearing-motor tests to learn why people develop chronic voice strain (vocal hyperfunction) and how to better help them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311839 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will combine detailed computer models of the vocal folds with recordings of speech and everyday voice use to see how harmful voice patterns develop. They will test how hearing and motor control affect voice pitch, quality, and compensation for noisy environments. The team will build personalized models for patients using advanced Bayesian methods and may use ambulatory monitoring to track real-world voice use. Findings aim to identify what starts the cycle of vocal injury and to separate causes from compensatory reactions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates include people with chronic voice problems or signs of vocal hyperfunction, especially frequent voice users such as teachers, singers, or public speakers.
Not a fit: People whose voice problems are primarily due to structural lesions requiring surgery or unrelated neurological conditions may not directly benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat common voice disorders caused by chronic voice misuse.
How similar studies have performed: Prior simulations and monitoring studies have given useful insights, but combining subject-specific biomechanics, auditory-motor control, and Bayesian personalization is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zanartu, Matias — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Zanartu, Matias
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.