British woman develops Italian accent after stroke, struggles with identity

After suffering a stroke on May 4, Althia Bryden, 58, from London, woke up speaking with an unexpected accent. The day after surgery, while in intensive care, she suddenly began speaking, but her voice had changed.

“They asked if I had an Italian accent before the stroke,” she recalls, though she’s never spoken Italian. Now, she often uses phrases like “mamma mia” and “bambino” without realizing it.

Doctors believe she has foreign accent syndrome, a rare condition that can develop after brain damage. Althia, who is of Jamaican descent, had always spoken with a British accent before the stroke.

While grateful to be alive, Althia feels disconnected from her former self. “I don’t know who I am anymore,” she says, noting even her laugh and body language have changed. Despite the support of the Stroke Association, she feels isolated and longs to meet others with the same condition.