Investigation of cognitive functions in adult voice therapy

The aim of this study is to examine cognitive functions in the voice therapy processes of patients with vocal fold nodules or functional voice disorders and to investigate the active components of the voice therapy process. In this context, neuropsychological tests were applied to a total of 12 participants, 11 women and 1 man, diagnosed with vocal fold nodule or functional voice disorder, who applied to Anadolu University DILKOM for voice therapy. The applied neuropsychological tests were; Öktem Verbal Memory Processes Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Tower of London Test, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test. The therapy protocol applied to the participants was kept constant including vocal hygiene recommendations, resonance voice therapy, and vocal function exercises. The participants' voices were evaluated perceptually, aerodynamically and acoustically before and after therapy. SPSS 29.0 statistical program was used for analysis; Frequency percentage analyzes were used to determine descriptive features, and mean and standard deviation statistics were used to examine the scale. The correlation between the gain scores of the participants' voice evaluations before and after voice therapy and the neuropsychological tests was examined using the Spearman Correlation Test. As a result of the analysis, significant correlations were found between voice therapy pre-test and post-test data and the results of neuropsychological tests. Cognitive functions, one of the patient's personal factors, should be taken into consideration in convincing the patient to change in order for the voice patient to participate actively in therapy and benefit from the therapy. It is thought that this study, which found that cognitive functions are related to therapy results during the voice therapy process, is of clinical importance.