Why some voices feel strained or tight
Sensorimotor mechanisms of vocal hyperfunction
This project looks at how hearing feedback, stress, and nervous-system responses affect people who have strained or tight voices.
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-11311834 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would take part in listening and speaking tasks that measure how your voice pitch changes when auditory feedback is altered and how well you notice pitch differences in your own voice. Some tasks are done while a short cognitive stress challenge is added to raise nervous-system arousal so researchers can compare calm and stressed conditions. The team will compare people with vocal hyperfunction to people without voice problems and record breathing, heart-rate, and other autonomic signals during the tests. Results will be used to develop practical measurements that could be used by clinicians.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who experience chronic voice strain, tightness, or who have been diagnosed with vocal hyperfunction would be the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People whose voice issues are caused mainly by clear structural damage (for example vocal fold cancer or large lesions) or unrelated neurological disorders may not benefit from these results.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new tests that help diagnose voice-strain problems and guide more personalized voice therapy.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier smaller studies have found related differences in hearing-feedback and autonomic measures in people with voice problems, but practical clinical tests are still being developed.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stepp, Cara E. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Stepp, Cara E.
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.