Brain and Voice Signatures in Teachers

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, BONN · Nov 7, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Brain and Voice Signatures in Teachers," is studying how stress affects the voice and speech control in early career female teachers and student teachers who experience vocal fatigue. Vocal fatigue can make it difficult for these individuals to talk without feeling strain or tiredness in their voices. The researchers want to understand if stress influences how the brain and voice muscles respond when speaking. By comparing teachers who are sensitive to stress with those who are not, as well as with a control group of healthy individuals who do not have vocal fatigue, the study aims to gather important information about the causes of voice disorders.

To participate, women aged 21 to 39 who have been teaching for up to 10 years and are experiencing vocal fatigue may be eligible. Healthy women in the same age range without vocal fatigue can also join as control participants. During the study, participants will perform speaking tasks on two separate occasions, while researchers will collect data about their brain activity, saliva, personality, and voice muscle activity. It's important to note that certain conditions, like having a history of vocal issues, psychological disorders, or specific physical limitations (like claustrophobia), may prevent someone from participating. Overall, the findings from this trial could help improve how doctors diagnose and treat voice disorders in teachers, ultimately leading to better support for those affected.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Teachers (max. 10 years full-time) or student teachers in good health between 21 and 39 years with symptoms of vocal fatigue.
• • Control participants in good health between 21 and 39 years without symptoms of vocal fatigue.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Lefthandedness
• • Smoking (past 5 years)
• • Known changes of the vocal folds (e.g., vocal fold nodules), vocal fold paralysis, surgeries on the larynx or thryoid or current organic or neurological changes of the vocal folds or vocal function per videoendoscopy and -stroboscopy of the larynx
• • History of voice therapy
• • Hoarseness
• • Respiratory illness, allergies (respiratory, silver), reflux or asthma at time of participation
• • Hearing disorder or hearing aids
• • Psychological, neurological or endocrinological disorders
• • Psychotropic or steorid medications
• • Body mass index \> 30
• • Indications against MRI such as metail parts in or on the body (e.g., permanent dental prostheses or braces, screws, prostheses, piercings or large tattoos
• • Nearsightedness \> -5 diopters, if only glasses are worn
• • Claustrophobia
• • Pregnancy