Hormones and female voices: an overview across life span

The larynx is a sex steroid hormonal target organ. Besides sex-related morphological specificities (e.g., smaller lung volume, vocal folds and vocal tract), the female voice is also particularly affected by variations in concentrations of sex steroid hormones (i.e., oestrogens, progesterone and testosterone), especially during the menstrual cycle and the menopausal transition. In the latter case, the significant depletion in concentrations of sex hormones leads to physical, psychological and neurological symptoms that affect voice and speech. Depending on the severity of these symptoms, female’s quality of life and working ability may be impaired, especially in the case of female professional voice users (FPVUs). However, as menopause corresponds to the onset of biological aging, the extent to which these symptoms are solely related to menopause is difficult to determine.

This seminar provides an overview of how sex steroid hormones affect the morphology and function of the female voice across life span. Special emphasis will be given to menopause and aging and how associated changes may affect respiratory, phonatory and resonatory subsystems of the vocal apparatus and, consequently, voice quality and speech.