The relationship between age and maximum phonation time in a higher education community: A preliminary study

Introduction: As indicated by extant literature, maximum phonation time has been observed to decrease with age, a phenomenon attributable to changes in laryngeal structures and a decline in respiratory support. Objective: The aim of this study is to establish a correlation between maximum phonation time and age within a higher education community. Methods: Participants were instructed to produce the sustained vowel /a/ at maximum phonation time. This production was carried out at three different times, and the mean of the values obtained for each participant was extracted. Results: A total of 43 subjects participated in the study, comprising 31 female and 12 male participants between the ages of 18 and 61. A decline in maximum phonation time was observed with advancing age, though the correlation between these variables was not found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: The relationship between age and maximum phonation time revealed a non-significant association in this higher education community, with a slight decline in aerodynamic measurement with advancing age.