Gender- and Age- Stratified Normative Voice Data in Japanese-Speaking Subjects: Analysis of Sustained Habitual Phonations.

INTRODUCTION: There is no normative voice dataset for Japanese speakers in the English literature. We constructed age- and gender-stratified normative voice data with the assistance of vocally healthy Japanese speakers. METHODS: A total of 111 vocally healthy Japanese speakers (42 men, 69 women) were divided into young (13 men, 30 women), middle-aged (18 men, 27 women), and elderly (11 men, 12 women) groups. Participants underwent aerodynamic, acoustic, and audio-perceptual studies of sustained habitual vowel phonations, and the obtained data were statistically analyzed in terms of age and gender. RESULTS: Both gender- and age-related differences were noted in fundamental frequencies, sound pressure level, shimmer, and amplitude perturbation quotient, while only gender-related differences were noted in mean flow rate and only age-related changes were observed in subglottal pressure; laryngeal resistance; and G, R, B, and S scores of the GRBAS scale. The gender- and age-related difference data were comparable with the reported data in other languages, ethnicities, or countries. CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first to provide a database of normative voice data of Japanese speakers. The idiosyncrasy of Japanese is considered minor in sustained habitual vowel phonations.