*What sounds like a bizarre dream was a frightening reality for one confused grandmother, 58-year-old Althia Bryden. After suffering a stroke and needing surgery last year, Althia and her family were shocked to discover that she’d suddenly started speaking in a full-blown Italian accent… despite being born and bred in London.
What’s even more shocking? Althia doesn’t speak Italian and has never even been to Italy! She’s one of a handful of people in the UK with Foreign Accent Syndrome, a rare condition where a person’s speech switches to a different and unfamiliar accent.
The condition has even left Althia regularly gesturing with her hands and frequently using Italian words and phrases, such as ‘Si’, ‘Grazi’, and even ‘Mamma Mia’!
So, how does this phenomenon even come about!? Althia and her husband Winston join the British TV show “This Morning,” alongside Foreign Accent Syndrome expert Professor Nick Miller, to explain.
Scroll to continue reading
‘I don’t know who I am’
While she knows she is “lucky to be alive” having suffered a stroke, the 58-year-old feels like she has lost her identity due to her condition and has “no control” over the sounds she makes.
“Even my laugh is not the same… I’m not me. I feel like a clown with an upside-down smile that people are watching perform. It’s very sad – everything is different, even my body language is different. People aren’t meeting the original me, I don’t know who I am,” she says.
Each morning Althia says she wakes hoping her accent will be gone but her speech therapist and doctors do not know if her original voice will ever return.
“I’m still looking for the person I was before,” she says. “Where do I go to find the button to switch this stuff off?”
A stroke can sometimes cause a rare neurological condition known as Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS). This condition affects speech patterns, causing a person to sound as if they have a foreign accent, even if they have never spoken that way before.
How Does It Happen?
FAS usually results from brain damage in areas responsible for speech and motor control, such as the left hemisphere’s speech centers (Broca’s area, motor cortex, or cerebellum). This damage alters the rhythm, pitch, and pronunciation of words, making the person’s speech resemble a foreign accent.
Why an Italian Accent?
The specific changes in speech can mimic the characteristics of various accents, such as:
Vowel elongation or shortening
Altered consonant pronunciation
Changes in speech melody or rhythm
If the speech changes resemble the phonetic patterns of Italian—such as more rounded vowels or rhythmic syllable timing—listeners may perceive the person as speaking with an Italian accent.
Famous Cases
A British woman developed a French accent after a stroke.
An American woman began speaking with a British accent after a head injury.
A Norwegian woman spoke with a German accent after a stroke during World War II.
Can It Be Treated?
There’s no direct cure for FAS, but speech therapy can help some individuals regain their original accent over time.
Whether a post-stroke accent change caused by Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) is permanent or temporary depends on several factors:
1. Severity of Brain Damage
If the stroke caused only minor disruptions in the brain’s speech centers, the accent may gradually fade with speech therapy and time.
If there is significant or irreversible damage, the accent could be permanent or long-lasting.
2. Location of Brain Injury
Damage to Broca’s area (speech production) or the motor cortex can affect pronunciation and rhythm, leading to a foreign-sounding accent.
If the brain can adapt or compensate using neuroplasticity, the accent might diminish over months or years.
3. Speech Therapy & Rehabilitation
Many people with FAS see improvements with speech therapy, retraining their brain to restore normal speech patterns.
Some regain their original accent completely, while others experience only partial recovery.
View this post on Instagram
4. Duration Since Stroke
If the accent persists beyond two years, it is more likely to be long-term.
Some cases resolve within weeks to months, but others can last a lifetime.
5. Psychological & Emotional Factors
Stress, fatigue, or anxiety can exacerbate FAS symptoms, making the accent seem more pronounced.
If a person adjusts to their new accent, they may unconsciously reinforce it, making reversal more difficult.
Bottom Line: Will It Go Away?
Some people recover fully, especially with therapy. Others retain the accent permanently, though therapy can help modify speech patterns. If FAS lasts beyond two years, it is less likely to fully disappear.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: It’s Ozempic Over Exercise and Healthy Diet As Gen Z’s Top Weight Loss Option | VIDEO
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
