Causes
FAS is caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls the rhythm and melody of speech. The damage may be due to:
• Stroke, which is the main cause
• Trauma to the brain, such as a sharp blow to the skull
• Brain hemorrhage
• Multiple sclerosis
• Brain tumor
FAS is also linked it to other symptoms, such as:
• Aphasia—a communication disorder that can affect the ability to understand and express language
• Speech apraxia—a speech disorder that affects the ability to make sounds, syllables, and words
Risk Factors
Factors that increase your chance of developing FAS include:
• Being at high risk for stroke
• Having aphasia or apraxia
Symptoms
Those with foreign accent syndrome speak in a distorted rhythm and tone, such as:
• Making vowel sounds longer and lower such as changing English “yeah” to German “jah”
• Changing sound quality by moving the tongue or jaw differently while speaking
• Substituting words or using inappropriate words to describe something
• Stringing sentences together the wrong way
If you have FAS, you may be able to speak easily and without anxiety. Other people are able to understand you. The accent that you have adopted could be within the same language, such as American-English to British-English.
Symptoms can last for months, years, or may be permanent.
Diagnosis
You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done paying particular attention to the muscles used in speech. A psychological evaluation may also be done to rule out psychiatric conditions.
Your language skills will be assessed. This can be done with:
• Tests to assess reading, writing, and language comprehension
• Use of recordings to analyze speech patterns