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Laryngeal and Vocal Tract Strategies to Reduce Vocal Fold Contact Pressure

Who can join

Ages 18 to 40 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Ages 18-40 years (to minimize developmental changes associated with adolescent and elderly age)
* Clinic diagnosis by a fellowship trained laryngologist of mid-membranous lesions that by history and appearance are phonotraumatic
* Must be referred for voice therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

* Medical comorbidities (e.g., autoimmune disorders) beyond seasonal allergy and laryngopharyngeal reflux
* Vocal fold lesions generally regarded to be less responsive to voice therapy (e.g. vocal fold cysts).
* Claustrophobia
* Inability to replicate fundamental frequencies required for the study at the intensity levels determined

About the study

Phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction is one of the most frequently occurring conditions to affect the voice. This voice disorder often involves vocal fold injury due to repeated, excessive contact pressure between the vocal folds when they collide during voice production. In the clinic, voice therapy attempts to modify unhealthy vocal behaviors through different techniques or exercises. While voice therapy is generally considered effective, the scientific rationale for its therapeutic benefits still remains unclear. It is generally believed that these exercises lead to adjustments in the larynx and vocal tract that reduce vocal fold contact pressure. However, this assumption has never been tested in humans or laboratory experiments. The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effectiveness of voice therapy in reducing vocal fold contact pressures and in eliciting the hypothesized favorable laryngeal and vocal tract configurations.

What is being tested

• Resonant voice therapy (behavioral)

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles · Participants: 60 · Started: Dec 1, 2025

Contact the study team

• Zhaoyan Zhang · Phone: 3102064324

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06165536

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.