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British Woman Starts Speaking Italian After Stroke Surgery (Video)
A British woman, Althia Bryden, has started speaking with an Italian accent after recovering from a stroke.
The 58-year-old, from Highbury, North London, developed a rare condition known as Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) following a stroke that left her unable to speak for months.
The incident began when Althia’s husband, Winston, found her unresponsive one evening. She had suffered a stroke caused by a carotid web, a rare condition that can block blood flow to the brain. Winston described the moment he found his wife “staring and unable to talk” as “terrifying,” prompting him to call emergency services. Althia was hospitalized for nine days, and on July 30, she had surgery to remove the carotid web. After the surgery, she regained her ability to speak—but with a surprising twist. “Completely out of the blue,” Althia recalled, “I just started speaking with an Italian accent.”
Even though Althia had never been to Italy or learned the language, she found herself speaking Italian words without any explanation. “To my amazement, I’m also able to speak Italian… a language I’ve never learnt or spoken ever before,” she said. Both doctors and nurses at the hospital were amazed by her condition, calling it a “medical marvel.”
Althia admitted that she struggles with the new accent, saying, “I wake up most mornings hoping that my old voice will be back again. I don’t feel like me with this foreign accent.”
Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare disorder that can result from brain damage due to a stroke, injury, or other neurological issues, causing someone to speak with an accent they have never acquired.
As she adjusts to her new way of speaking, Althia often explains her situation to others. “When I meet people, they ask me where I’m from, and I find myself retelling the story of how I’ve come to acquire this accent over and over again,” she said.
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