Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

• Vocal physiology and voice production in normal and disordered voice across the lifespan
• Pediatric vocal development and identification of physiological factors of laryngeal function that underlie severely disturbed voice qualities
• Development of biomechanical modeling and assessment tools to identify children at risk of developing voice disorders by establishing physiological biomarkers of the unique vibratory features observed with high speed digital imaging
• Pathophysiology of hoarseness resulting from severe voice disturbances such as spasmodic dysphonia

Dr. Patel's broad areas of research and teaching interests include vocal physiology and voice production in normal and disordered voice across the lifespan. More specifically, Dr. Patel is interested in pediatric vocal development and identification of physiological factors of laryngeal function that underlie severely disturbed voice qualities. Within the framework of pediatric vocal development, Dr. Patel aims to lay the foundation for development of biomechanical modeling and assessment tools to identify children at risk of developing voice disorders by establishing physiological biomarkers of the unique vibratory features observed with high speed digital imaging.

The other research area that interests Dr. Patel relates to the pathophysiology of hoarseness resulting from severe voice disturbances, spasmodic dysphonia, for example. Here the goal is to investigate vibratory kinematics and disturbances of muscle activity, to understand the clinical pathophysiology of spasmodic dysphonia. The outcome from the above research areas directly relates to clinical assessment for children with voice disorders and adults with spasmodic dysphonia. Current funding for this research is supported by the National Institute of Health (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders), American Speech-Language and Hearing Foundation, and the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association. Dr. Patel served as a chair of the American Speech Language Hearing Association's Special Interest Group 3, Voice and Voice Disorders from 2015-2017. Currently, Dr. Patel serves as a member of the Voice Foundation's Advisory Board and as an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Voice. She also serves as an editor for the topic of voice for the American Journal of Speech Language Pathology.

Patel, R., Sandage, M., Golzarri Arroyo, L (2023). High-speed videoendoscopic and acoustic characteristics of inspiratory phonation, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, (14), 1-16. PMID: 36917802

Milstein, C., Patel, R., Laurash, E., Kampert, M (2023). Identification of breathing pattern disorder in athletes with exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction: a novel assessment tool, PMID: 36710197.

Döllinger, M., Jakubaß, B., Cheng. H., Carter, S., Kniesburges, S., Aidoo, B., Lee, C., Milstein, C., Patel, R (2023). Computational fluid dynamics of upper airway aerodynamics for exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction, Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, 1-10, doi:10.1002/lio2.114010.

Patel, R. Zauber, S. E., Yadav, A, Witt, T., Halum, S., Gupta, K. (2022). Globus pallidus interna and ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus deep brain stimulation for adductor laryngeal dystonia: blinded analyses of objective voice outcomes in two patients, Neurosurgery, 90 (4), 457-463.

Patel, R., Sundberg, J., Gill, B., Lã, F. (2022). Glottal airflow and glottal area waveform characteristics of flow phonation in untrained vocally healthy adults, Journal of Voice, 140.e1-140.e21.

Patel, R., Ternström, S. (2021). Quantitative and qualitative electroglottographic wave shape differences in children and adults using voice map-based analysis, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64 (8), 2977-2995.

Patel, R., Sandage, M., Kluess, H., Plexico, L. (2021). High-speed characterization of vocal fold vibrations in normally cycling and postmenopausal women: randomized double-blind analyses, Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 64 (6), 1869-1888.

Lulich, S., Patel, R. (2021). Semi-Occluded vocal tract exercises in healthy young adults: articulatory, acoustic, and aerodynamic measurements during phonation at threshold, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 149 (5), 3213-3227.

Kist, A., Gómez, P, Dubrovskiy, D., Schlegel, P., Kunduk, M., Echternach, M., Patel, R., Semmler, M., Bohr, C., Dürr, S., Schützenberger, A., Döllinger, M. (2021). A deep learning enhanced novel software tool for laryngeal dynamics analysis, Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 64 (6), 1869-1888.

Sandage, M., Patel, R. (2020). Passive Upper Airway Thermoregulation and High-Speed Assessment for Conventional vs. Menthol Cigarette: Implications for Laryngeal Physiology, Journal of Voice, 34 (1), 25-32.

Patel, R., Lulich, S., Verdi, A. (2019). Vocal tract shape and acoustic adjustments of children during phonation into narrow-flow resistant tubes, Journal of the Acoustic Society of America, 146 (1), 352-368.

Semmler, M., Döllinger, M., Patel, R., Ziethe, A., Schützenberger, A. (2018). Clinic relevance of endoscopic 3D imaging for quantitative assessment of phonation, The Laryngoscope, 128, 2367-2374

Patel, R., Awan, S., Barkmeier-Kraemer, J., Courey M., Deliyski D., Eadie T., Paul, D. Švec, J., Hillman, R. (2018) Recommended protocols for instrumental assessment of voice: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Expert Panel to Develop a Protocol for Instrumental Assessment of Vocal Function, American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 27, 887-905, https://ajslp.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2686671

Stachler, R., Francis, D., Schwartz, S., Damask, C., Digoy, G., Krouse, H., McCoy, S., Ouellette, D., Patel, R., Reavis, C., Smith, L., Smith, M., Strode, S., Woo, P., Nnacheta, L. (2018). Clinical Practice Guideline: Hoarseness (Dysphonia) (Update) Executive Summary, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 158 (3), 409-426.

Patel, R., Walker, R., Döllinger, M. (2017). Oscillatory onset and offset in young vocally healthy adults across various measurement methods, Journal of Voice, 31 (4), e17-512.e24.

Poburka, B., Patel, R., Bless, D. (2017). Voice-Vibratory Assessment with Laryngeal Imaging Form: Reliability of rating stroboscopy and high-speed videoendoscopy, Journal of Voice, 31 (4), e1-513.e14. **** Best Science Paper Award 2017

Patel, R., Forrest, K., Hedges, D. (2017). Relationship between acoustic voice onset and offset and selected instances of oscillatory onset and offset in young healthy males and females, Journal of Voice, 31 (3), e9-389.e17.

Patel, R., Unnikrishnan, H., Donohue, D. (2016). Effects of vocal fold nodules on glottal cycle measurements derived from high-speed videoendoscopy in children, PLOS One, published 4/28/2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154586.

Patel, R., Venediktov, R., Schooling, T., Wang, B (2015). Evidence-based systematic review: effects of speech-language pathology treatment for individuals with paradoxical vocal fold movement, American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 24(3), 566-584.

Patel, R., Liu, L., Galatsanos, N., Bless, D. (2011). Differential Vibratory characteristics of spasmodic dysphonia and muscle tension dysphonia on high speed digital imaging, Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, 120, 21-32

Patel, R., Dailey, S., Bless, D. (2008). Comparison of high speed digital imaging with stroboscopy for laryngeal imaging of glottic pathology, Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, 117(6), 413-424.