Vocal cords

• Less clear until now was how closely these regions determine the mix of sounds and words people want to say aloud, the authors report.
• As a routine part of their procedures, surgeons electrically (and painlessly) stimulate specific parts of the brain while asking patients to perform standardized speaking tasks.
• This enables surgeons to remove only the brain tissue responsible for the errant electrical signals that cause seizures.
• Researchers say these shorter interruptions of speech indicate that these regions play a more crucial role in the physical mechanics of speaking.

• The 76-year-old singer certainly delivered all his characteristic showmanship.
• Equally, it’s not all down to the process of ageing.

The sound of your voice

• The vocal cords are what produce the sound of your voice.
• When air passes out of the lungs and through the larynx, it causes the vocal cords to vibrate – producing sound.
• There are also approximately 17 other muscles in the larynx that can alter vocal cord position and tension – thus changing the sound produced.
• For instance, a woman’s voice may sound different depending on the stage of her menstrual cycle – with the best voice quality being in the ovulatory phase.

Everything ages

• As we get older, the larynx begins increasing its mineral content, making it stiffer and more like bone than cartilage.
• The muscles that allow the vocal cords to move also begin wasting (as do our other muscles) as we age.
• The ligaments and tissues that support the vocal cords also lose elasticity, becoming less flexible.

Lifestyle is a factor

• Smoking, for example, causes localised inflammation, increased mucous production, but can also dry out the mucosal surfaces.
• Blood thinners may also damage the vocal cords and can cause polyps to form, making the voice sound raspy or hoarse.
• One other lifestyle factor can be overuse, which is typically seen in singers and other people who use their voice a lot during work, such as teachers and fitness instructors.

Maintaining our vocal quality

• While we can’t help some of the age-related changes that happen to our vocal cords, we can maintain some of our vocal quality and ability through continued use.
• Singing or reading out loud daily can give the vocal cords sufficient exercise to slow their decline.

• Major players in the laryngoscope market are Ambu, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc, KARL STORZ, Medtronic, Olympus, HOYA, Roper Technologies, Inc. (Verathon, Inc.), Richard Wolf GmbH, Schoelly Fiberoptic GmbH, and Welch Allyn Inc.
• The laryngoscope market consists of sales of laryngoscopes and related services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that manufacture laryngoscopes.
• The main types of the laryngoscope market are indirect laryngoscope and direct laryngoscope.
• The countries covered in the laryngoscope market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the USA.

• PATHFNDR-1 is one of two ongoing, placebo-controlled Phase 3 studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of once-daily oral paltusotine in acromegaly patients.
• The Phase 3 PATHFNDR-2 studys enrollment is ongoing and topline results are expected in the fourth quarter of 2023.
• We would like to thank study participants and clinical research professionals for their interest and contributions to the PATHFNDR-1 study.
• In Phase 2 studies, paltusotine maintained IGF-1 levels in acromegaly patients who switched from injectable depot medications to once-daily oral paltusotine.