Why vocal cord thinning causes voice problems
Mechanisms of voice disorders associated with vocal fold atrophy
This project looks at signals between the vocal fold lining and the voice muscle to find why the muscle thins and weakens in people with vocal cord atrophy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11231722 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers at NYU will examine how injury to the vocal fold lining may send signals that cause the underlying voice muscle to shrink, using laboratory and animal models of nerve and surface injury. They will focus on TGF-β/SMAD signaling and related molecules like myostatin that are known to drive muscle atrophy. The team will compare short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) mucosal injuries to see how these patterns affect muscle health and voice function. Their experiments aim to link biochemical changes in the lining to measurable muscle loss and voice weakness.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with voice weakness or hoarseness caused by vocal fold atrophy, including those with nerve injury to the larynx or thinning of the voice muscles.
Not a fit: People whose voice problems are caused by non-muscle issues (for example vocal nodules, reflux without muscle atrophy, or purely behavioral/psychogenic voice disorders) may not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that prevent or reverse vocal muscle thinning and improve voice strength.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked TGF-β and SMAD pathways to tissue scarring and muscle wasting in other systems, but applying this mucosa-to-muscle signaling idea to vocal fold atrophy is a new direction.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Branski, Ryan Comfort — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Branski, Ryan Comfort
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.