Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Age-related changes in human thyroarytenoid muscles: a histological and histochemical study

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head & Neck Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined the thyroarytenoid muscles of 23 larynges in order to assess function-related characteristics and to discover age-related changes. The neonatal thyroarytenoid muscle differed from limb muscles in the slow maturation of fibre types. In adults, we examined the medial part of the thyroarytenoid muscle. It showed a larger variation in fibre size and more endomysial connective tissue than is common for limb muscles. Structural and histochemical evidence of ageing developed from approximately the 6th decade. It comprised a marked increase of endomysial connective tissue and striking myopathic changes of muscle fibres. Up to 20% of the muscle fibres showed at some places of some sections evidence of mitochondrial accumulations and increased mitochondrial enzyme activity (ragged red fibres). The rise of such ragged red fibres is commonly related to the development of mutations in mitochondrial DNA. Significant myopathic changes including mitochondrial abnormalities develop in the thyrovocalis muscle with age and may play a role in the functional deficit of the larynx in old age.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zemlin WR (1968) Speech and hearing science. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

  2. Boliek CA, Hixon TJ, Watson PJ, Morgan WJ (1996) Vocalization and breathing during the first years of life. J Voice 10:1–22

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Morris RJ, Brown WS Jr, Hicks DM, Howell E (1995) Phonational profiles of male trained singers and nonsingers. J Voice 9:142–148

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hammond TH, Gray SD, Butler JE (2000) Age- and gender-related collagen distribution in human vocal folds. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 109:913–920

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Honjo I, Isshiki N (1980) Laryngoscopic and voice characteristics of aged persons. Arch Otolaryngol 160:149–150

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hirano M, Kurita S, Sakaguchi S (1989) Ageing of the vibratory tissue of human vocal folds. Acta Otolaryngol 107:428–433

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lundy DS, Silva C, Casiano RR, Lu FL, Xue JW (1998) Cause of hoarseness in elderly patients. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 118:481–485

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rosenfeld DB, Miller RH, Sessions RB, Patten BM (1982) Morphologic and histochemical characteristics of laryngeal muscle. Arch Otolaryngol 108:662–666

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Rodeno MT, Sanchez-Fernandez JM, Rivera-Pomar JM (1993) Histochemical and morphometrical ageing changes in human vocal cord muscles. Acta Otolaryngol 113:445–449

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Guida HL, Zorzetto NL (2000) Morphometric and histochemical study of the human vocal muscle. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 109:67–71

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Malmgren LT, Fisher PJ, Bookman M, Uno T (1999) Age-related changes in muscle fiber types in the human thyroarytenoid muscle: an immunohistochemical and stereological study using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 121:441–451

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Malmgren LT, Lovice DB, Kaufman MR (2000) Age-related changes in muscle fiber regeneration in the human thyroarytenoid muscle. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 126:851–856

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Malmgren LT, Fisher PJ, Jones CE, Bookman LM, Uno T (2000) Numerical densities of myonuclei and satellite cells in muscle fiber types in the aging human thyroarytenoid muscle: an immunohistochemical and stereological study using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 123:377–384

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Malmgren LT, Jones CE, Bookman LM (2001) Muscle fiber and satellite cell apoptosis in the aging human thyroarytenoid muscle: a stereological study with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 125:34–39

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Dubowitz V, Brooke MH (1973) Muscle biopsy: a modern approach. WB Saunders, London

    Google Scholar 

  16. Landon DN (1992) Skeletal muscle—normal morphology, development and innervation. In: Mastaglia FL, Walton JN (eds) Skeletal muscle pathology, 2nd edn. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh

  17. Jennekens FGI (1992) Disuse, cachexia and aging. In: Mastaglia FL, Walton Jn (eds) Skeletal muscle pathology, 2nd edn. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh

  18. Rifai Z, Welle S, Kamp C (1995) Ragged red fibres in normal ageing and in inflammatory myopathy. Ann Neurol 37:24–29

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. McKelvie P, Friling R, Davey K, Kowal L (1999) Changes as the result of ageing in extraocular muscles: a post-mortem study. Aust NZJ Ophthalmology 27:369–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Sewry CA, Dubowitz V (2001) Histochemistry and immunocytochemistry of muscle in health and disease. In: Karpati G, Hilton Jones D, Griggs RC (eds) Disorders of voluntary muscles, 7th edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

  21. Manaligod JM, Milam M, Hill SA, Sanders T, Skaggs J, Smith RJ (2000) Age-related mitochondrial DNA mutations in the human larynx. Laryngoscope 110:2123–2127

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Müller-Höcker J (1990) Cytochrome c oxidase deficient fibres in the limb muscle and diaphragm of man without muscular disease: an age-related alteration. J Neurol Sci 100:14–21

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Müller-Höcker J, Schneiderbanger K, Stefani FH, Kadenbach B (1992) Progressive loss of cytochrome c oxidase in the human extraocular muscles in ageing—a cytochemical-immunohistochemical study. Mutat Res 275:115–124

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Fayet G, Jansson M, Sternberg D, Moslemi AR, Blondy P, Lombes P (2002) Ageing muscle: clonal expansion of mitochondrial DNA point mutations and deletions cause focal impairment of mitochondrial function. Neuromusc Disord 12:484–493

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Phoniatrics, University Medical Centre Utrecht, PO Box 85 500, 3508 GA Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    W. Kersing

  2. Laboratory for Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    F. G. I. Jennekens

Authors
  1. W. Kersing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. G. I. Jennekens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to W. Kersing.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kersing, W., Jennekens, F.G.I. Age-related changes in human thyroarytenoid muscles: a histological and histochemical study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 261, 386–392 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-003-0702-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-003-0702-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation