Voluntary reaction times for phonation initiation Free

Simple neuromechanical reaction times for voluntary initiation of phonation were investigated in 15 males and 15 females as a function of (1) stimulus type: either a 1‐kHz tone or a drop from 6 cm $H2O$ in intraoral air pressure to atmospheric pressure; (2) abducted, adducted, or uncontrolled prephonatory vocal‐fold position and (3) 75%, 50%, and 25%, of subject's lung volume. Auditory‐manual responses were also obtained from these same subjects. All responses were to stimulus onset. The fastest neuromechanical reaction times were 120 msec; however, the average time for phonation initiation across subjects was 180 msec. Auditory‐vocal reaction times were generally faster than somesthetic‐vocal reaction times, but these differences were not significant. Faster auditory‐vocal reaction times were obtained at mid than at lung volume extremes, as well as when phonation was initiated from abducted rather than adducted prephonatory vocal‐fold positions. Manual reaction times were significantly faster than vocal reaction times.