Change in pitch of sound is produced by which muscle?
**Core Concept:**
The question is asking about the specific muscle responsible for producing a change in pitch of sound. In this context, pitch refers to the high or low tone of a sound and is determined by the vibrations of the vocal cords. In human voice production, the vocal cords vibrate and the resulting sound is altered by the tension of the surrounding muscles.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right:**
The correct answer, **C. Adductor Vocalis Muscle**, plays a crucial role in shaping the pitch of the sound produced by the vocal cords. When the adductor vocalis muscle contracts, it increases the tension on the vocal cords, causing them to vibrate at a higher frequency, thus producing a higher pitch sound.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect:**
A. **Deep Pharyngeal Wall Muscle:** This muscle is responsible for opening the airway during swallowing and is not directly involved in altering the pitch of the vocal cord vibrations.
B. **Cricothyroid Muscle:** This muscle is part of the thyroarytenoid complex and primarily involved in adjusting the length of the vocal cords, not pitch.
D. **Laryngeal Sphincter Muscle:** This muscle is responsible for closing the larynx during swallowing and is not directly related to vocal cord pitch changes.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact:**
The **Adductor Vocalis Muscle** plays a significant role in altering the pitch of the voice in conditions like stuttering, which can be caused by dysfunction of this muscle. Understanding the function of the adductor vocalis muscle and its relationship to vocal cord vibration is essential for clinical practice, particularly in voice therapy and speech pathology.