Current Evidence for the Organic Etiology of Spastic Dysphonia

Abstract

For over 100 years it has been universally assumed in the literature that spastic dysphonia is a functional or psychoneurotic voice disorder. In the last few years, new data have accumulated that support the concept that spastic dysphonia is caused by an organic, rather than a functional, abnormality. Histologic examination of segments of the recurrent laryngeal nerve removed from patients with spastic dysphonia has revealed myelin abnormalities in 30% of the nerves examined. Neurologic examinations indicated brain stem or basal ganglia disturbances in some patients who had no apparent nerve disease.

Keywords

Spastic dysphonia otolaryngologic signs phoniatric signs neurologic signs recurrent laryngeal nerve histology axons myelin functional organic

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