Speech signal

A speech signal is an acoustic waveform generated by the complex coordination of the respiratory system, laryngeal muscles, and supra-laryngeal articulators such as the tongue and lips (Wikipedia). It is not a biological molecule, receptor, or enzyme, and as such, it does not serve as a direct therapeutic target for drugs. Instead, speech signals are analyzed as digital biomarkers to provide objective, non-invasive measures of a patient's neurological and motor status (PubMed: 32654388). In clinical contexts, changes in speech characteristics are used to monitor the progression of diseases like Parkinson's or ALS and to assess the efficacy of pharmacological interventions on the central nervous system (NIH). Because it represents a high-level physiological output, it is categorized as a clinical endpoint or biomarker rather than a molecular site of action.

Other names

Acoustic speech signalVocal signalSpeech waveformVoice signal

Not applicable as the speech signal is a physical output rather than a molecular target.