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Listener's numerical estimations of loudness were compared for three sets of stimuli. The exponential loudness values for machine-generated signals varied from 0.80 to 0.86. The loudness functions for various speech conditions, recorded at normal effort levels and played back at seven different sound-pressure levels, varied from 0.74 to 0.84. The loudness functions of autophonically varied speech levels ranged from 0.86 to 1.20. Listeners in this study tented to respond differently to speaker-varied speech signal levels than to the electronically varied speech signals. Therefore, it is assumed that listener loudness judgments of speaker-varied speech levels are related to acoustic cues that vary as a function of amount of effort used by the speaker.

A preliminary technical report of the effective treatment of abductor spasmodic dysphonia with botulinum toxin is presented. Our technique attempts to place the toxin close to the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle to allow diffusion of the material to the PCA. Our pilot study demonstrates that botulinum toxin is an effective approach for reducing or eliminating the abductor glottal spasms during phonation and, thereby, providing functional speech communication.