Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reveals why he has a raspy voice – spasmodic dysphonia explained

By Adam Taylor, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, Lancaster University

Anyone following the US presidential race may have noticed independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a particularly harsh-sounding voice. The cause is a neurological condition called spasmodic dysphonia.

Spasmodic dysphonia, also known as laryngeal dysphonia, often results in a shaky, tight or strained-sounding voice. It does not affect other functions of the vocal cords, such as laughing, crying or shouting.

It affects about one in every 50,000…

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