Foreign Accent Syndrome

Foreign Accent Syndrome

Article
Brain & Nerve
Behavioral & Mental Health
+2
Contributed byKrish Tangella MD, MBAJun 26, 2020

What are the other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

  • Pseudo-Accent Syndrome
  • Unlearned Foreign Accent Syndrome

What is Foreign Accent Syndrome? (Definition/Background Information)

  • Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare medical disorder in which individuals who suffer from brain injury, lose the ability to speak in their native accent and acquire a foreign accent, even if they have never travelled to that country
  • Cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome have been documented around the world, and include examples such as accent change from British English to American English, American English to French, Japanese to Korean, and Spanish to Italian
  • Stroke is a major risk factor for the disorder, and hence, any condition that can result in a stroke is a potential risk factor. Also, the prevention of stroke may help prevent Foreign Accent Syndrome
  • The disorder may not only affect communication, due to changes in one’s tone, pitch, and accent, it can also cause anxiety, identity crisis, and social awkwardness
  • There is no cure for Foreign Accent Syndrome, the symptoms are managed through counselling and speech therapy

Who gets Foreign Accent Syndrome? (Age and Sex Distribution)

  • Individuals of any age may be affected by Foreign Accent Syndrome
  • There is no gender preference; both males and females are affected
  • The condition is observed in those recovering from any brain disorder or injury

What are the Risk Factors for Foreign Accent Syndrome? (Predisposing Factors)

The risk factors of Foreign Accent Syndrome include:

  • Stroke is a major risk factor
  • Any risk factor for stroke, such as high blood pressure, heart abnormalities, high cholesterol level, increased body weight, smoking, and alcoholism, can indirectly increase one’s risk for Foreign Accent Syndrome
  • Migraine

It is important to note that having a risk factor does not mean that one will get the condition. A risk factor increases ones chances of getting a condition compared to an individual without the risk factors. Some risk factors are more important than others.

Also, not having a risk factor does not mean that an individual will not get the condition. It is always important to discuss the effect of risk factors with your healthcare provider.

What are the Causes of Foreign Accent Syndrome? (Etiology)

  • Foreign Accent Syndrome is most often caused by damage or injury to the brain that alters the tone and pitch of an individual’s speech. This disorder usually follows a brain injury
  • Damage to the brain also affects the rhythm and melody of one’s speech. The damage to the brain can occur due to various factors such as:

    • Stroke
    • Injury to the skull
    • Bleeding inside the brain  
    • Multiple sclerosis (a neurological disorder)

When an individual articulates or speaks, certain parts of the muscles in the tongue, face, and palate are used in a particular way. In Foreign Accent Syndrome, when there is a brain injury or a lack of blood flow to certain parts of the brain, the part that controls language and speech is affected. Thus, when an individual tries to speak, sound or language is produced in a different tone. Speech may be altered in terms of timing, tone, pitch, and tongue position or placement, which may be perceived as a ‘foreign accent’.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Foreign Accent Syndrome?

The signs and symptoms of Foreign Accent Syndrome are related to changes in the rhythm and tone of speech. These include:

  • Longer and distorted vowel sounds (‘yeah’ may be pronounced as ‘yah’)
  • Moving tongue or jaw differently while speaking
  • Using inappropriate words to describe something
  • Organizing the sentences together in an inappropriate way
  • Excess stress on some syllables, which is not usually required
  • Sometimes, knowledge of the native language may altogether disappear
  • Changes in one’s personality corresponding to the nationality of the new accent

The individual may recover normally from the initial trauma and begin speaking with a foreign accent, several weeks or months later.

How is Foreign Accent Syndrome Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of Foreign Accent Syndrome may include:

  • The first step is a thorough assessment including a complete medical and family history, examination of oral structures, and standardized tests of language and speech intelligibility
  • Examination of muscles used in speech
  • Language is assessed by the following tests:

    • Tests to assess reading, writing, and language comprehension
    • Use of recordings to analyze speech patterns
    • Psychological evaluation to rule out any psychiatric condition     
    • CT scan: It is an imaging test that uses specialized x rays to take pictures of the insides the brain
    • Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan: It is an imaging test that shows the blood flow inside the brain
    • MRI scan: It is an imaging test that uses magnetic waves to take pictures of the insides the brain
    • Electroencephalogram (EEG): It is a test that uses electrical current to record the brain’s activity

Also, the patient may be evaluated by a team of specialists that may include the following:

  • Speech-language pathologist
  • Psychologist
  • Neurologist
  • Neuropsychologist

Many clinical conditions may have similar signs and symptoms. Your healthcare provider may perform additional tests to rule out other clinical conditions to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.

What are the possible Complications of Foreign Accent Syndrome?

Complications associated with Foreign Accent Syndrome may include:

  • Identity crisis and self-confidence issues: Since communication is a vital part of life, individuals with Foreign Accent Syndrome may feel frustrated when they can no longer recognize their own speech
  • Social anxiety: Individuals may suffer anxiety issues, as they feel themselves different from others around them
  • Individuals are often troubled by the unexpected onset of this disorder, which can cause  leading to immense stress on them
  • Foreign Accent Syndrome may cause people who are unfamiliar to the affected individual, to falsely conclude that they are from a foreign country or region, which may result in isolation by the community around them
  • Some individuals are unable to revert to their old speech patterns and in some cases, even make grammatical errors associated with their new accent

How is Foreign Accent Syndrome Treated?

Foreign Accent Syndrome has no cure since it is most likely the result of a brain injury or damage. However, the condition may be managed by:

  • Speech therapy: The disorder may be reversible with intensive speech therapy
  • Counseling: Since Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare disorder, the individual may feel isolated and embarrassed. Counseling can help them and their family  cope with the condition
  • Assimilation: It may be defined as moving the individual with the foreign accent into that foreign country, where they may not feel isolated, strange, or even be persecuted for their strange accent

Individuals with Foreign Accent Syndrome may be also encouraged to completely adopt the foreign accent, so that they do not feel uncomfortable and strange.

How can Foreign Accent Syndrome be Prevented?

Since stroke is the most common cause of Foreign Accent Syndrome, prevention of stroke may help in avoiding the condition. A brain stroke may be prevented by:

  • Eating healthy diet
  • Quitting smoking, alcohol, and illegal drug abuse
  • Maintaining ideal weight
  • Control of blood pressure through regular checkups and medications

What is the Prognosis of Foreign Accent Syndrome? (Outcomes/Resolutions)

  • Foreign Accent Syndrome is a disorder that may not be reversible. It may become a permanent part of one’s life for most individuals
  • Nevertheless, some individuals with the condition have been known to recover their original accent

Additional and Relevant Useful Information for Foreign Accent Syndrome:

It has been observed that some individuals with Foreign Accent Syndrome may impress young children around them with their accent unintentionally. It may so happen that the child may also begin to speak with that accent, as a learned response.

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Krish Tangella MD, MBA

Pathology, Medical Editorial Board, DoveMed Team

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