Anna-Leigh Roberts
SLP 302-section 2
23 September 2016
Short Paper 1
Snyder, B. (2016). Study reveals new clues to cystic fibrosis ‘gender gap. Vanderbilt University. Retrieved from https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2016/09/15/study-reveals-new-clues-to-cystic-fibrosis-gender-gap/
Women afflicted with cystic fibrosis typically live about two to three years less than males who have cystic fibrosis. The research team at Vanderbilt University determined that the hormone estrogen may be the source of the discrepancy seen between genders. The potassium ion channel, KCNQ1, and its regulatory protein, KCNE3, work concurrently with the ion channel (CTFR) that equalizes salt concentrations in the lungs. The attachment of a phosphate group to KCNE3 by estrogen…show more content… A group of 23 cystic fibrosis patients, consisting of both males and females, were asked to vocalize a vowel for as long as possible. Each vocal output was quantitatively measured for dysphonia. The recorded results were compared to a control group of 41 individuals of both males and females. The recordings were evaluated on fundamental frequency, intensity, and harmonics to noise ratio (HNR). Additionally, the variability of the fundamental frequency (jitter) and the variability of intensity (shimmer) were also measured. Overall, the cystic fibrosis patients were unable to produce vocalizations as loudly as the control group. The cystic fibrosis group had increased jitter, shimmer, and a significantly lower HNR. This indicates that there is a strong correlation between cystic fibrosis and dysphonia. Finally, the results of the 15 male cystic fibrosis patients and the results of the 8 female cystic fibrosis patients were compared to their respective control groups. It was observed that the female cystic fibrosis patients, unlike the male cystic fibrosis patients, had a statistically significant lower HNR than their control group. It was also found that female cystic fibrosis patients had more general vocal alterations than their control group, whereas the male cystic fibrosis patients did not see this difference. This signifies that there are significant differences in vocalization between male and female cystic fibrosis
