Predictive brain activity related to auditory information is associated with performance in speech comprehension tasks in noisy environments.

Introduction: Understanding speech in noisy environments is challenging even for individuals with normal hearing, and it poses a significant challenge for those with hearing impairments or listening difficulties. There are limitations associated with the current methods of evaluating speech comprehension in such environments, especially in individuals with peripheral hearing impairments. According to the predictive coding model, speech comprehension is an active inference process that integrates sensory information through the interaction of bottom-up and top-down processing.

Exploring sex differences in auditory saliency: the role of acoustic characteristics in bottom-up attention.

Background: Several cognitive functions are related to sex. However, the relationship between auditory attention and sex remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore sex differences in auditory saliency judgments, with a particular focus on bottom-up type auditory attention.

Effect of Aging on Vocal Outcomes After Laryngeal Reinnervation Combined With Arytenoid Adduction.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of aging on vocal function following laryngeal reinnervation combined with arytenoid adduction (AA) in the treatment of paralytic dysphonia.

Methods: Sixty-eight patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis who underwent refined nerve-muscle pedicle flap (NMP) implantation and AA were classified into four groups according to age: under 50 years (-50), in their 50s, 60s, and 70 years and older (70+). These groups consisted of 15, 14, 22, and 17 patients, respectively.

Effect of Voice Therapy as a Supplement After Reinnervation Surgery for Breathy Dysphonia Due to Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

Objective: To evaluate whether vocal function exercises (VFE) could be an adjunct treatment for patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) who were not satisfied with their postoperative voices after reinnervation surgeries.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Methods: Medical records of the patients with UVFP who underwent laryngeal reinnervation between October 2011 and October 2014 were reviewed.

Factors Affecting the Swallowing Dysfunction Following Oral Cancer Surgery.

Objective: To investigate the factors affecting the postoperative swallowing dysfunction in patients who underwent oral cancer surgery.

Methods: Retrospective review of clinical records of 70 patients (50 males and 20 females) who underwent oral cancer surgeries from July 2007 to April 2015 were enrolled. Multiple regression analysis was performed using the Food Intake LEVEL Scale (FILS) at discharge as the objective variable and age, tumor size, resection of the tongue base, suprahyoid muscle resection, segmental mandibulectomy, neck dissection and radiation therapy as the explanatory variables in 70 patients.

Effects and Differences of Voice Therapy on Spasmodic Dysphonia and Muscle tension dysphonia: A Retrospective Pilot Study.

Objectives: Laryngeal and voice findings of adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD) and muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) are similar, and it is difficult to distinguish between both disorders. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the effect of voice therapy on MTD and AdSD and clarify their difference.

Methods: A total of 49 patients, including 22 patients with MTD (MTD group) and 27 patients with AdSD (SD group), were included in the study.

Optimal Management of the Unilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Involvement in Patients with Thyroid Cancer.

We aimed to determine the optimal management of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) involvement in thyroid cancer. We enrolled 80 patients with unilateral RLN involvement in thyroid cancer between 2000 and 2016. Eleven patients with preoperatively functional vocal folds (VFs) underwent sharp tumor resection to preserve the RLN (shaving group).

Different types of dysphagia alleviated by the chin-down position.

Objective: Retrospective videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) evaluations of pharyngeal swallowing were used to evaluate the types of dysphagia alleviated by the chin-down maneuver.

Materials And Methods: The study population consisted of 64 patients who underwent VFSS evaluations during neutral and chin-down maneuvers presenting specifically penetration or aspiration. The assessment of the VFSS movie clips of each maneuver was performed using parameters of the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) and the presence and degree of airway invasion(PDAI) by three blinded raters in the following five subcategorized groups, 1.

Phonatory function in patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma following meticulous resection of tumors adhering to the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Background: Well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas (WDTCs) sometimes adhere firmly to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), while allowing normal mobility of the vocal fold (VF). Meticulous dissection of the adhered tumor from the RLN is known to be effective, preserving VF mobility and oncological safety. However, phonatory function following this preservation procedure has yet to be evaluated sufficiently.

Long-term changes in vocal function after supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy for laryngeal cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess changes in vocal function over time following supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy (SCL-CHEP).

Methods: A total of 17 patients who underwent SCL-CHEP for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 2007 and 2015 were reviewed. We examined maximum phonation time (MPT), mean airflow rate (MFR), voice intensity, the grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain (GRBAS) scale, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), and voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL) scores.

Arytenoid adduction combined with nerve-muscle pedicle flap implantation or type I thyroplasty.

Objectives/hypothesis: To evaluate vocal function after refined nerve-muscle pedicle (NMP) flap implantation with arytenoid adduction (AA) compared with type I thyroplasty with AA for patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) and to evaluate the degree of patient satisfaction following the refined NMP with AA.

Study Design: A retrospective review of clinical records of 52 patients with UVFP who received AA + NMP (NMP group, n = 40) or AA + type I thyroplasty (type I group, n = 12) as a single-stage operation between April 1999 and December 2011.

Methods: Evaluation of vocal fold vibration, aerodynamic analysis, perceptual evaluation, acoustic analysis, and subjective assessment were performed preoperatively and at two different postoperative periods (short term: within 3 months and long term: >12 months).

Comparison of vocal outcome following two different procedures for immediate RLN reconstruction.

The objective of this study was to compare time-dependent improvements in phonatory function and stroboscopic findings following two different procedures for immediate reconstruction of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) during neck tumor extirpation. Seventeen patients with neck tumors, consisting of advanced thyroid cancer (n = 15), metastatic neck lymph nodes from other malignant lesions (n = 2), underwent resection of the primary lesion and involved RLN. Immediate RLN reconstruction by either: (1) ansa cervicalis nerve (ACN) to RLN anastomosis (n = 8); or (2) placement of the great auricular nerve (GAN) between the cut ends of the RLN (n = 9) was performed from 2000 to 2011.

Laryngeal reinnervation featuring refined nerve-muscle pedicle implantation evaluated via electromyography and use of coronal images.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of laryngeal reinnervation via refined nerve-muscle pedicle (NMP) flap implantation combined with arytenoid adduction to treat unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP), employing laryngeal electromyography (LEMG), coronal imaging, and phonatory function assessment.

Study Design: Case series with chart review.

Setting: University hospital.

Long-term vocal outcomes of refined nerve-muscle pedicle flap implantation combined with arytenoid adduction.

The objective of this study is to evaluate long-term efficacy of refined nerve-muscle pedicle (NMP) flap implantation combined with arytenoid adduction (AA) for treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). The authors retrospectively reviewed 33 patients with UVFP who received refined NMP flap implantation with AA and were followed up over a 1-year period. Evaluation of vocal fold vibration (regularity, amplitude, and glottal gap), aerodynamic analysis (maximum phonation time [MPT] and mean airflow rate [MFR]), and perceptual evaluation (Grade and Breathiness) were performed preoperatively and at five different time points (1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months) postoperatively.

Event-related potentials for better speech perception in noise by cochlear implant users.

Speech perception in noise is still difficult for cochlear implant (CI) users even with many years of CI use. This study aimed to investigate neurophysiological and behavioral foundations for CI-dependent speech perception in noise. Seventeen post-lingual CI users and twelve age-matched normal hearing adults participated in two experiments.

Arytenoid adduction with nerve-muscle pedicle transfer vs arytenoid adduction with and without type I thyroplasty in paralytic dysphonia.

Importance: Optimal glottal closure as well as symmetrical vocal fold masses and tensions are essential prerequisites for normal voice production. Successful phonosurgery depends on restoring these prerequisites to achieve long-term improvement.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of the laryngeal framework surgical treatments (arytenoid adduction with and without thyroplasty type I [AA ± Th-I]) compared with arytenoid adduction combined with nerve-muscle pedicle flap transfer (AA + NMP) in unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Over-adduction of the unaffected vocal fold during phonation in the unilaterally paralyzed larynx.

Conclusions: Over-adduction of the unaffected vocal fold may not compensate vocal function in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).

Objective: To determine whether over-adduction of the unaffected vocal fold has any impact on vocal function in patients with UVFP.

Methods: A total of 101 patients with UVFP who underwent three-dimensional computed tomographic (CT) examination of the larynx served as subjects.

Long-term voice handicap index after type II thyroplasty using titanium bridges for adductor spasmodic dysphonia.

Objectives: To determine the long-term functional outcomes of type II thyroplasty using titanium bridges for adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD) by perceptual analysis using the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) and by acoustic analysis.

Methods: Fifteen patients with AdSD underwent type II thyroplasty using titanium brides between August 2006 and February 2011. VHI-10 scores, a patient-based survey that quantifies a patient's perception of his or her vocal handicap, were determined before and at least 2 years after surgery.

Vocal outcome after arytenoid adduction and ansa cervicalis transfer.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of arytenoid adduction (AA) combined with ansa cervicalis-recurrent laryngeal nerve anastomosis (ACN-RLN) in the treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Design: Retrospective review of clinical records.

Setting: Institutional practice.

Arytenoid rotation and nerve-muscle pedicle transfer in paralytic dysphonia.

Objectives/hypothesis: Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of modified nerve-muscle pedicle (NMP) flap transfer combined with arytenoid adduction (AA) (AA + modified NMP) for treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis. The patterns of voice outcome assessed using phonatory function tests and auditory perceptual judgments were followed-up for 2 years.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Nerve-muscle pedicle flap implantation combined with arytenoid adduction.

Objectives: To describe a new technique of nerve-muscle pedicle (NMP) flap implantation combined with arytenoid adduction (AA) to treat dysphonia due to unilateral vocal fold paralysis and to examine postoperative vocal function.

Study Design: Retrospective review of clinical records.

Setting: Tertiary academic center.

The role of immediate recurrent laryngeal nerve reconstruction for thyroid cancer surgery.

Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) is one of the most serious problems in conducting surgery for thyroid cancer. Different treatments are available for the management of UVFP including intracordal injection, type I thyroplasty, arytenoid adduction, and laryngeal reinnervations. The effects of immediate recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) reconstruction during thyroid cancer surgery with or without UVFP before the surgery were evaluated with videostroboscopic, aerodynamic, and perceptual analyses.

Effects of type II thyroplasty on adductor spasmodic dysphonia.

Objectives: Type II thyroplasty, or laryngeal framework surgery, is based on the hypothesis that the effect of adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD) on the voice is due to excessively tight closure of the glottis, hampering phonation. Most of the previous, partially effective treatments have aimed to relieve this tight closure, including recurrent laryngeal nerve section or avulsion, extirpation of the adductor muscle, and botulinum toxin injection, which is currently the most popular. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of type II thyroplasty on aerodynamic and acoustic findings in patients with AdSD.