Foreign accent syndrome (FAS) happens when you suddenly start to speak with a different accent. It's most common after a head injury, stroke, or some other type of damage to the brain.
Although it's extremely rare, it's a real condition. Only about 100 people have been diagnosed with this condition since the first known case came to light in 1907.
Some examples of FAS include an Australian woman who developed a French-sounding accent after a car accident. In 2018, an American woman in Arizona woke up one day with a mixture of Australian, British, and Irish accents after falling asleep the night before with a headache.
It doesn't just affect English speakers. FAS can happen to anyone and has been documented in cases and languages all over the world.
Let's look into what causes it, how to recognize the symptoms, and what to do about it.
FAS seems to be related to conditions that affect and damage the Broca's area of the brain. This area, on the left side of the brain, is typically linked to producing speech.
Conditions that can affect this area of the brain include:
Your natural accent results from a system of sound patterns in your native language that you unconsciously learn as you grow up. This is known as the phonetic system.
Your accent can change early in life as you're exposed to different accents and speech patterns. But after your teenage years, your phonetic system stays mostly fixed.
That's what makes FAS so puzzling. Its symptoms affect the entire patterning of your phonetic system. Here's how it can show up in your speech:
Other common symptoms of FAS:
It's important to seek immediate medical attention any time you notice any changes to your normal speech. A change in the way you talk could be a sign of a more serious issue.
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. They may also examine the muscles you use when you talk.
Your doctor will likely need to see images of your brain. This can be done with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or computed tomography (CT) scan. Both of these imaging tests can create detailed pictures of features inside your brain.
Because FAS is so rare, you'll likely be seen by a team of specialists, including:
Treatment for FAS depends on the underlying cause. If there are no underlying conditions, possible treatments may include:
If there is an underlying medical condition causing FAS, you may need one of the following treatments:
Although it's rare, FAS is a legitimate neurological condition that may have complications if the underlying cause isn't diagnosed and treated.
If you notice any changes to your speech, get medical attention as soon as possible. The cause may not be serious or require treatment. But knowing what is causing the changes can help you get the right treatment, and prevent any further complications.