SLP Voice, Resonance, and Motor Speech 2

Question 1

Which laryngeal structure is primarily responsible for pitch variation during speech?

Accepted Answer

Cricothyroid muscle

Answer

The cricothyroid muscle elongates and tenses the vocal folds, raising fundamental frequency and pitch.

Question 2

A patient presents with hypernasal resonance following palatoplasty. Which instrumental assessment best quantifies velopharyngeal closure?

Accepted Answer

Nasometry

Answer

Nasometry measures the ratio of nasal to total acoustic energy, directly quantifying hypernasality.

Question 3

In Parkinson's disease, which motor speech characteristic is most prominent?

Accepted Answer

Hypokinetic dysarthria with reduced loudness

Answer

Parkinson's disease causes hypokinetic dysarthria characterized by monopitch, monoloudness, and reduced vocal intensity (hypophonia).

Question 4

Which phonation type is associated with the lowest subglottal air pressure and irregular vocal fold vibration?

Accepted Answer

Vocal fry (pulse register)

Answer

Vocal fry (glottal fry) occurs at very low fundamental frequencies with irregular, low-pressure vocal fold vibrations.

Question 5

A client with ALS demonstrates dysarthria that worsens significantly with sustained speech tasks. This pattern is most consistent with:

Accepted Answer

Flaccid dysarthria with fatigability

Answer

Flaccid dysarthria from lower motor neuron damage, as seen in ALS bulbar involvement, shows increased impairment with fatigue during sustained tasks.

SLP - Speech-Language Pathology Practice Test