Following a stroke, Woman wakes up with an Italian accent...she's never set foot in Italy

Althia Bryden, a 58-year-old retiree from London (England), suffered a stroke on the 4th May 2024. A cerebral attack that left its mark.

Three months after her stroke, having spent weeks without speaking, the Londoner had to undergo surgery to reduce the stroke's after-effects. Luckily, she regained her voice.

“Mamma mia”!

And, contrary to all expectations, Althia Bryden woke up with an Italian accent, despite never having set foot in Italy... The 50-year-old told PA Media : “I started speaking with an Italian accent. The nurse looked as shocked as I was. I remember thinking, 'Who is speaking?' (...) I couldn't believe it was me talking, but neither did I recognise the sound of my voice (...).” Even more bizarrely, Althia Bryden has retained this accent. At times, she also uses expressions such as “mamma mia” or “si”, and adopts the accompanying gestures.

Foreign Accent Syndrome 

As the media Demotivateur points out, the Londoner suffers from Foreign Accent Syndrome, a very rare condition that can manifest after brain trauma. And although Althia Bryden hasn't yet received a definitive diagnosis, she reports suffering from a loss of identity.

“Even my laughter isn't the same anymore... I'm not me, it's like someone is impersonating me. I feel like a clown with an upside-down smile that people watch perform (...) It's very sad. Everything's different, even my body language is different. People don't meet the original person, I don't know who I am”. 

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: Demotivateur - Illustration: ©Unsplash)