# The interaction between vocal fold hydration and vibratory biomechanics

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2021 · $354,847

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Voice disorders affect millions of people worldwide. Patients have reported many negative social
econmic impacts of dysphonia. Proper fluid homeostasis is critical to normal vocal fold function. Maintenance
of normal fluid levels in vocal fold tissue ensures normal biomechanical and vibratory parameters. Potential
disturbances to this homeostasis include overuse, misuse, systemic or surface dehydration, trauma, and
inflammation. The results of these disturbances can lead to changes in stress distribution, mechanical damage,
and inflammation. Further damage to the tissue might result in the formation of edema or a benign lesion.
 The overall goal of this proposal is to evaluate the contributions of vocal fold fluid homeostasis,
tissue properties, and vibratory biomechanics to tissue damage and ultimately edema. The results will
explain changes in vibration mechanics over extended periods of phonation. Methods of quantifying fluid
content in excised and in vivo models developed in this proposal will provide necessary information on fluid
content and further our knowledge and understanding of the role of fluid in vocal fold vibration. Knowledge
gained from this research is essential for a more complete understanding of clinical management of voice
disorders.
 The approach to this research will involve three specific aims. The first aim will focus on methods of
quantifying fluid content and tissue properties. We will employ four technologies novel to laryngology: (1) tissue
dielectric properties (TDP), a measure of tissue water content; (2) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) as a
method to quantify fluid volume in tissues; (3) laser Doppler flowmetry, a measure of blood flow through a
tissue; and (4) acoustoelastography, a measure of the acoustic properties of the tissue that is linearly related to
strain and nonlinearly related to tissue stress. The results of these methods will be useful for establishing
standards in interstitial fluid levels and tissue properties. The second aim will focus on evaluating the effects of
vibration on fluid content and dynamics in the vocal folds. First, finite element modeling will be used to study
the effects of vibration on fluid content and dynamics while varying elongation, subglottal pressure, capillary
permeability and stiffness. Physiological validation of the model trends will be carried out on excised animal
models. Finally, an animal model of inflammation due to prolonged vibration will be used to observe how
edema might occur in vocal overuse. The third aim will focus on the effects of fluid content on vocal fold
vibration. We will determine hydration levels at which the vocal folds are pathologically changed. In other
words, when there is a significant change to phonation parameters such as phonation threshold pressure.
Excised models will be used in this aim to study the biomechanical effects of dehydration and overhydration. In
addition, acoustoelastography will be employed to ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10167673
- **Project number:** 5R01DC015689-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** Jack J Jiang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $354,847
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10167673

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10167673, The interaction between vocal fold hydration and vibratory biomechanics (5R01DC015689-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10167673. Licensed CC0.

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