Which aspect of voice is primarily affected by a superior laryngeal nerve injury?

A superior laryngeal nerve injury primarily affects vocal pitch because this nerve is responsible for innervating the cricothyroid muscle, which plays a crucial role in adjusting the tension of the vocal cords. By altering the tension of the vocal folds, the cricothyroid muscle is essential for modulating pitch. When this nerve is compromised, the ability to adjust pitch is significantly impacted, leading to difficulties in producing higher or lower frequencies of sound.

Other aspects of voice, such as quality, intensity, and resonance, are less directly influenced by the superior laryngeal nerve. Vocal quality refers to the characteristics of the voice, such as breathiness or harshness, which are more associated with the overall health of the vocal folds and the function of other laryngeal muscles. Vocal intensity is related to the force with which air is pushed through the vocal folds, which involves different mechanisms such as subglottic pressure. Vocal resonance is the quality of the voice that is shaped by the spaces above the larynx, including the throat, mouth, and nasal passages. While all these aspects can be affected in various ways by laryngeal nerve damage, pitch is the most directly impacted by the injury to the superior lary