Woman Develops Italian Accent Following Stroke

“‘I remember thinking, ‘Who is that talking?'” On May 4, Althia Bryden was discovered unresponsive in her bed, her face visibly drooping on the right side. The 58-year-old, a resident of Highbury, north London, was promptly transported to a hospital. There, it was determined she had suffered a stroke, which left her unable to speak or feel the upper-right side of her body. Doctors identified a carotid web in her neck as the cause—a rare, shelf-like structure capable of interrupting blood flow to the brain. In August, surgery was performed to remove it. The following day, while recovering in intensive care, she recounts that a nurse woke her to take her blood pressure, and “completely out of the blue, I just started speaking.” She explained, “She looked as shocked as I did. The nurse rushed to get colleagues round to my bed. No-one could believe I was talking after so long.” However, the medical staff also noticed an unusual characteristic in her voice. She stated, “They asked me if I had an Italian accent before my stroke and were telling me I had a strong accent.” Bryden added, “In the whirlwind of it all, I was so confused.” The grandmother, a medically retired customer service advisor, reports that she has never spoken Italian or even visited Italy, yet she has now acquired a distinct accent. She asserts that she inadvertently incorporates Italian words and expressions such as “mamma mia,” “bambino,” and “si” into her conversations. Bryden noted, “Before, I didn’t sound like the Queen, but I sounded British. I’ve always lived in London, but all my family are from Jamaica.” Althia is awaiting a formal diagnosis, though her speech and language therapist has indicated that she may have foreign accent syndrome. The NHS characterizes this rare condition as one where an individual’s speech adopts an accent distinct from their customary one, often perceived by others as foreign, typically occurring due to brain damage, such as that caused by a stroke. Althia stated, “Doctors and nurses saw me as a bit of a medical marvel – none of the nurses, doctors, therapists or surgeons had dealt with foreign accent syndrome in their whole careers.” She added, “This is when I realised just how rare this condition is. I wish more people knew about it.” Despite acknowledging she is “lucky to be alive” after enduring a stroke, the 58-year-old expresses a sense of lost identity because of her condition and feels she has “no control” over her vocalizations. She lamented, “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.” Bryden continued, “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.” Each morning, Althia reports waking with the hope that her accent will have vanished, but her speech therapist and physicians are uncertain if her original voice will ever be restored. She remarked, “I’m still looking for the person I was before.” Bryden questioned, “Where do I go to find the button to switch this stuff off?” Following her stroke, she has received assistance from the Stroke Association, including home visits from a coordinator and participation in support groups, which she credits with providing help. Althia stated, “It made me realise having foreign accent syndrome is part of my story, and I shouldn’t be ashamed.” Nevertheless, she has not yet encountered another individual with foreign accent syndrome who has undergone a similar experience, a fact she says frequently contributes to feelings of isolation. She expressed, “I want to meet someone with it, and be able to relate to someone and have that connection.”