Supralaryngeal Anatomy & Physiology

Velopharyngeal Anatomy Soft palate & its relationship with the pharyngeal wall Muscles here run from skull and insert somewhere in palate Muscles important for speech-Cleft palate Three sounds in English that require velum to be depressed- n, m, ing

Soft Palate Velum; flexible muscular flap hanging from hard palate Attached by the palatine aponeurosis Sheet of flattened tendon Arrangement of muscle fibers: Elevates, lowers and tenses Three classes of muscles: Depressor relaxers (glossopalatine & Pharyngopalatine) Elevators (Levator Palatini & Uvular) Depressor-Tensor (Tensor Palatini)

Levator Veli Palatini Palatal Elevator, bulk of soft palate Arises from the temporal bone & medial wall of the eustachian tube Courses down to insert into the palatal aponeurosis of soft palate Primary elevator of the soft palate Contraction elevates & retracts the posterior velum

Levator Veli Palatini Temporal Bone

Muscularis Uvulae Medial & posterior portions of the soft palate Arises from posterior nasal spine of palatine bone & palatal aponeurosis Fibers run the length of the soft palate Inserts into mucous membrane of the velum Contraction shortens the velum, bunching it up

Tensor Veli Palatini Tensor of the soft palate and dilator of the eustachian tube Arises from the sphenoid bone & lateral eustachian tube wall Terminate into a tendon that wraps around the pterygoid hammulus, then flattens to become the palatine aponeurosis Contraction tenses the soft palate and flattens it & dilates eustachian tube to aerate it.

Tensor Veli Palatini Eustachian Tube Hammulus of Pterygoid

Soft Palate Eustachian Tube Tensor Levator Palatini Palatini Sagittal section of Vocal tract

Palatoglossus Posterior of oral cavity Anterior faucial pillar (First arch in oral cavity) Serves dual purpose: Elevates tongue or depresses soft palate Originates at the anterolateral palatal aponeurosis & inserts into the sides of the tongue

Palatoglossus

Palatopharyngeus Anterior fibers originate from the anterior hard palate & posterior fibers arise from the midline of the soft palate Insert into posterior thyroid cartilage Courses down and form posterior faucial pillars Assists in narrowing the pharyngeal cavity & lowers the soft palate & elevates larynx

Velar Depressors Soft Palate Palatine Tonsil Posterior Faucial Arch Palatoglossus Anterior Faucial Arch Palatopharyngeus

Supralaryngeal Physiology

Introduction Source-filter theory Vocal tract- Source = generates sound (larynx) Filter = sound modified (vocal tract) Vocal tract- Filter for all vowels and consonants Serves as source of noise for consonants

Noise Generation: Source All consonants include an element of noise (except semi-vowels) Consonant that is voiced= Noise added to the voice generated at Glottal Source Consonant that is voiceless= Characterized entirely by noise Narrowing of vocal tract causes resistance to cause noise (usually in upper vocal tract) /h/ is an exception- noise caused at the glottis

Oral Pressure Two functions of vocal tract: Prerequisite for noise: Serves as a filter for all consonants & vowels Serves as a source of noise for most consonants Prerequisite for noise: Build pressure behind constriction or occlusion Intraoral air pressure (requires velopharyngeal competence)

Turbulent Noise The noise element of consonants produced by fricatives is the result of turbulence. Hiss of steam Occurs when air channel is constricted enough to disrupt smooth flow of air Turbulence if the other type of consonant noise (bursts & turbulence) Place of articulation distinguishes fricatives

Places of Articulation K-G-NG SH-ZH- L-CH-J-R M-W-P-B TH T-D-S-Z-N F-V H

Bursts of Noise Burst, a puff of air Air stream is stopped by tongue or lips (plosive or stop) Progress of stop: Closure (tongue, lips)-Block air stream Pressure builds behind stoppage Brief gap of silence Stoppage is released (can be aspirated)

Typical Plosive Production Closure Stoppage Transition Release Airstream Airstream Stoppage Transition Silence Plosive Burst Vowel Typical Plosive Production

Reading/Assignments Seikel: Pgs. 323-326; Dickson: Pgs. 208-218