Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a scratchy, raspy, and sometimes shaky voice because he has a rare neurological disorder called spasmodic dysphonia. This condition causes involuntary spasms in the muscles that control the vocal cords (larynx), leading to breaks and a strained or strangled quality in the voice. Kennedy has had this disorder for decades, with symptoms starting in his early 40s. The underlying cause is a malfunction in brain neural networks controlling muscle movement in the voice box, though the exact cause of the disorder itself is unknown. Treatment with botulinum toxin (Botox) injections to relax the muscles has been used by Kennedy at times, but there is no cure. The disorder affects the voice but not other vocal functions like laughing or crying, and it impacts about 50,000 people in North America. Kennedy has expressed frustration with his voice but continues to speak publicly despite the challenge.
