Effects of laryngeal topical anesthesia on voice fundamental frequency perturbation

Fundamental frequency perturbation (jitter) during sustained vowel phonations of speakers under topical anesthesia of the larynx was investigated for five adult males. The results showed that the average jitter was significantly greater under the anesthesia than normal conditions, and that the jitter difference between the two conditions was more prominent at high frequency phonations. Implications of these data for tactile and proprioceptive feedback in phonatory frequency control are discussed.