Effect of age-related changes in voice production and hearing on Voice Handicap Index and Geriatric Depression Scores

The ageing process affects hearing and production of voice. It is not unknown that impairment of these faculties can affect quality of life and also cause depression. The authors have presented an array of actual anatomical and functional changes that...

Sarcopenia and dysphagia in older community-dwelling adults

The prevalence of dysphagia in community-dwelling older adults is reported to be around 15%. Outside of common neurological causes such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease and dementia, recent studies have suggested that sarcopenia may be an independent risk factor for the...

Do certain chronic medications increase dysphagia in older people?

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is known to affect a high number of older people in the community, in care homes and in acute geriatric admissions to hospital. The authors of this study have recognised that many older people take drugs for chronic...

Voice therapy is an effective treatment for presbyphonia

The quality of an individual’s voice often declines with age. This deterioration occurs firstly as a result of vocal fold atrophy secondary to histologic alteration of the vocal fold mucosa as well as atrophy of the laryngeal musculature. Phonatory efficiency...