Foreign Accent syndrome baffles medical experts

December 15, 2005

I wonder if it is some almost subconcious thing - like what if you

had never heard a foreign accent? Would it be possible to speak with

a foreign accent if one had never heard one?

It's like the puzzling question how to you describe colours to

someone who has never seen colours?

> >

> > had mentioned this phenomenon in one of the forums. Here

is

> > an article detailing it.

> >

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002680321_syndrome

> > 13.html

> >

> > Foreign Accent syndrome baffles medical experts

> >

> > Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

> >

> > By Steve

> >

> > The Kansas City Star

> >

> > KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Langdon spent the weekend in bed. She

felt

> > nauseated, and the words tumbling out of her mouth had nothing to

do

> > with what she was trying to say. It was frightening. And before

the

> > weekend was over, her son took her to the hospital.

> >

> > Langdon, a healthy, active woman of 51, had had a stroke. And

like

> > many people who suffer strokes, her life since that weekend in

May

> > 2002 hasn't been the same.

> >

> > She doesn't run for exercise anymore; her weakened right arm

keeps

> > her off the tennis court.

> >

> > And — most puzzling to her and others — when she speaks, her

voice

> > sounds as if she comes from France. The accent is rather odd for

a

> > woman who grew up in Missouri. And it's still a mystery even to

> > scientists who have studied cases similar to Langdon's.

> >

> > Langdon is among only a couple of dozen known cases of people who

> > have developed " foreign accent syndrome. " In most cases, since

the

> > condition was identified more than 80 years ago, their natural

> > voices have been altered by some kind of brain trauma or head

injury.

> >

> > People who know Langdon, including colleagues and marketing

clients,

> > have by now become accustomed to her change of voice. But when

she

> > meets new people, they often ask where she's from.

> >

> > " It's annoying, " she says.

> >

> > Before her stroke, most people knew Langdon as an effusive,

creative

> > woman. A divorced mother of three, she still operates a

marketing,

> > consulting and creative production firm out of her home.

> >

> > In May 2002, Langdon says, she had two episodes that signaled

> > something was wrong: Flashes in one eye, ringing in her left ear,

> > poor coordination and difficulty speaking were among the

symptoms.

> > After the stroke, Langdon was unable to speak and underwent

months

> > of physical and speech therapy.

> >

> > " All she could do was smile, " says daughter Langdon, now

> > 24. " For someone who was active and very outspoken ... to go from

> > that to nothing but facial expressions, that was traumatic. We

> > couldn't fathom the idea that our mother could not speak. "

> >

> > It took about six weeks before Langdon's voice began to come

back. A

> > friend, Janis Rovick, remembers being in the room when Langdon

> > looked up and said, " Hi. "

> >

> > But then Langdon had to learn how to speak all over again.

> >

> > " I knew the words, " she says now, " but I had to learn to form the

> > words. There were some words I couldn't say and sounds I couldn't

> > even make. "

> >

> > Scientists who have studied patients with foreign-accent syndrome

> > have begun to understand the condition better in recent years as

> > brain-imaging technology has improved and as the Internet has

made

> > it easier to bring scattered research and researchers together,

says

> > Jack Ryalls of the University of Central Florida.

> >

> > Ryalls has studied post-stroke speech problems for 25 years and

saw

> > his first case of foreign-accent syndrome 20 years ago.

> >

> > While brain researchers used to think language involved discrete

> > regions of the brain — part of the frontal lobe, for instance, in

> > the left hemisphere — now they theorize it involves a network of

> > neurons crossing and connecting multiple regions.

> >

> > Foreign-accent syndrome may involve a lesion somewhere along that

> > network, says Julius Fridriksson, assistant professor of

> > communications sciences and disorders at the University of South

> > Carolina.

> >

> > The act of speaking involves the movement and coordination of 50

> > muscles, Fridriksson says, and damage along the nerve network

could

> > affect any movement controlling the larynx or face or other

speech-

> > related body parts.

> >

>

December 15, 2005

Could be. Maybe if reincarnation is real it's a past life coming

through. This has elements of comedy about, I could see Sellers

doing some interesting things along this line (as in Dr. strangelove

when he couldn't get his arm to keep from giving the Nazi salute).

Ken

> > >

> > > had mentioned this phenomenon in one of the forums. Here

> is

> > > an article detailing it.

> > >

> http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002680321_syndrome

> > > 13.html

> > >

> > > Foreign Accent syndrome baffles medical experts

> > >

> > > Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

> > >

> > > By Steve

> > >

> > > The Kansas City Star

> > >

> > > KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Langdon spent the weekend in bed. She

> felt

> > > nauseated, and the words tumbling out of her mouth had nothing to

> do

> > > with what she was trying to say. It was frightening. And before

> the

> > > weekend was over, her son took her to the hospital.

> > >

> > > Langdon, a healthy, active woman of 51, had had a stroke. And

> like

> > > many people who suffer strokes, her life since that weekend in

> May

> > > 2002 hasn't been the same.

> > >

> > > She doesn't run for exercise anymore; her weakened right arm

> keeps

> > > her off the tennis court.

> > >

> > > And — most puzzling to her and others — when she speaks, her

> voice

> > > sounds as if she comes from France. The accent is rather odd for

> a

> > > woman who grew up in Missouri. And it's still a mystery even to

> > > scientists who have studied cases similar to Langdon's.

> > >

> > > Langdon is among only a couple of dozen known cases of people who

> > > have developed " foreign accent syndrome. " In most cases, since

> the

> > > condition was identified more than 80 years ago, their natural

> > > voices have been altered by some kind of brain trauma or head

> injury.

> > >

> > > People who know Langdon, including colleagues and marketing

> clients,

> > > have by now become accustomed to her change of voice. But when

> she

> > > meets new people, they often ask where she's from.

> > >

> > > " It's annoying, " she says.

> > >

> > > Before her stroke, most people knew Langdon as an effusive,

> creative

> > > woman. A divorced mother of three, she still operates a

> marketing,

> > > consulting and creative production firm out of her home.

> > >

> > > In May 2002, Langdon says, she had two episodes that signaled

> > > something was wrong: Flashes in one eye, ringing in her left ear,

> > > poor coordination and difficulty speaking were among the

> symptoms.

> > > After the stroke, Langdon was unable to speak and underwent

> months

> > > of physical and speech therapy.

> > >

> > > " All she could do was smile, " says daughter Langdon, now

> > > 24. " For someone who was active and very outspoken ... to go from

> > > that to nothing but facial expressions, that was traumatic. We

> > > couldn't fathom the idea that our mother could not speak. "

> > >

> > > It took about six weeks before Langdon's voice began to come

> back. A

> > > friend, Janis Rovick, remembers being in the room when Langdon

> > > looked up and said, " Hi. "

> > >

> > > But then Langdon had to learn how to speak all over again.

> > >

> > > " I knew the words, " she says now, " but I had to learn to form the

> > > words. There were some words I couldn't say and sounds I couldn't

> > > even make. "

> > >

> > > Scientists who have studied patients with foreign-accent syndrome

> > > have begun to understand the condition better in recent years as

> > > brain-imaging technology has improved and as the Internet has

> made

> > > it easier to bring scattered research and researchers together,

> says

> > > Jack Ryalls of the University of Central Florida.

> > >

> > > Ryalls has studied post-stroke speech problems for 25 years and

> saw

> > > his first case of foreign-accent syndrome 20 years ago.

> > >

> > > While brain researchers used to think language involved discrete

> > > regions of the brain — part of the frontal lobe, for instance, in

> > > the left hemisphere — now they theorize it involves a network of

> > > neurons crossing and connecting multiple regions.

> > >

> > > Foreign-accent syndrome may involve a lesion somewhere along that

> > > network, says Julius Fridriksson, assistant professor of

> > > communications sciences and disorders at the University of South

> > > Carolina.

> > >

> > > The act of speaking involves the movement and coordination of 50

> > > muscles, Fridriksson says, and damage along the nerve network

> could

> > > affect any movement controlling the larynx or face or other

> speech-

> > > related body parts.

> > >

> >

>

December 15, 2005

Ah, dr strangelove : ) I liked that movie very much!

Lida

Ken wrote:

Could be. Maybe if reincarnation is real it's a past life comingthrough. This has elements of comedy about, I could see Sellersdoing some interesting things along this line (as in Dr. strangelovewhen he couldn't get his arm to keep from giving the Nazi salute).Ken> > >> > > had mentioned this phenomenon in one of the forums. Here > is > > > an article detailing it.> > > > > > > http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002680321_syndrome> > > 13.html> > > > > > Foreign Accent syndrome baffles medical experts> > > > > > Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM> > > > > > By Steve > > > > > > The Kansas City Star> > > > > > KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Langdon spent the weekend in bed. She > felt > > > nauseated, and the words tumbling out of her mouth had nothing to > do > > > with what she was trying to say. It was frightening. And before > the > > > weekend was over, her son took her to the hospital.> > > > > > Langdon, a healthy, active woman of 51, had had a stroke. And > like > > > many people who suffer strokes, her life since that weekend in > May > > > 2002 hasn't been the same.> > > > > > She doesn't run for exercise anymore; her weakened right arm > keeps > > > her off the tennis court.> > > > > > And — most puzzling to her and others — when she speaks, her > voice > > > sounds as if she comes from France. The accent is rather odd for > a > > > woman who grew up in Missouri. And it's still a mystery even to > > > scientists who have studied cases similar to Langdon's.> > > > > > Langdon is among only a couple of dozen known cases of people who > > > have developed "foreign accent syndrome." In most cases, since > the > > > condition was identified more than 80 years ago, their natural > > > voices have been altered by some kind of brain trauma or head > injury.> > > > > > People who know Langdon, including colleagues and marketing > clients, > > > have by now become accustomed to her change of voice. But when > she > > > meets new people, they often ask where she's from.> > > > > > "It's annoying," she says.> > > > > > Before her stroke, most people knew Langdon as an effusive, > creative > > > woman. A divorced mother of three, she still operates a > marketing, > > > consulting and creative production firm out of her home.> > > > > > In May 2002, Langdon says, she had two episodes that signaled > > > something was wrong: Flashes in one eye, ringing in her left ear, > > > poor coordination and difficulty speaking were among the > symptoms. > > > After the stroke, Langdon was unable to speak and underwent > months > > > of physical and speech therapy.> > > > > > "All she could do was smile," says daughter Langdon, now > > > 24. "For someone who was active and very outspoken ... to go from > > > that to nothing but facial expressions, that was traumatic. We > > > couldn't fathom the idea that our mother could not speak."> > > > > > It took about six weeks before Langdon's voice began to come > back. A > > > friend, Janis Rovick, remembers being in the room when Langdon > > > looked up and said, "Hi."> > > > > > But then Langdon had to learn how to speak all over again.> > > > > > "I knew the words," she says now, "but I had to learn to form the > > > words. There were some words I couldn't say and sounds I couldn't > > > even make."> > > > > > Scientists who have studied patients with foreign-accent syndrome > > > have begun to understand the condition better in recent years as > > > brain-imaging technology has improved and as the Internet has > made > > > it easier to bring scattered research and researchers together, > says > > > Jack Ryalls of the University of Central Florida.> > > > > > Ryalls has studied post-stroke speech problems for 25 years and > saw > > > his first case of foreign-accent syndrome 20 years ago.> > > > > > While brain researchers used to think language involved discrete > > > regions of the brain — part of the frontal lobe, for instance, in > > > the left hemisphere — now they theorize it involves a network of > > > neurons crossing and connecting multiple regions.> > > > > > Foreign-accent syndrome may involve a lesion somewhere along that > > > network, says Julius Fridriksson, assistant professor of > > > communications sciences and disorders at the University of South > > > Carolina.> > > > > > The act of speaking involves the movement and coordination of 50 > > > muscles, Fridriksson says, and damage along the nerve network > could > > > affect any movement controlling the larynx or face or other > speech-> > > related body parts.> > > > > > Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company> > >> >>

December 17, 2005

At times I slip into an " accent " or something that is percieved as an accent.

Sometimes I am not aware of it till it is pointed out to me. Sometimes I am

aware in a very detatched sort of way that I have started to think differently.

It especially came out when I had a customer service job where I had to say the

same thing over and over my whole shift. Various people have described it as

sounding English or Welsh or Cockney. It sounds a bit like one of the " lower

class " English accents to me. I was born and raised in the U.S. and have not

traveled outside the U.S. except for few very short trips to Canada.

I was completely baffled and did not no what to make of it or what could be

causing it. I suppose that it could be some past life thing or a couple of

other complex metaphsycial or psychological reasons, but a few month ago I

happened on a more mundane explaination. I have auditory integration problems.

In addition to have problems making out convesation because of background noises

(which is normal for people with highly senstive hearing) I also have more

difficulties than most people telling the differences between words and letters

that sound similiar. While researching this I found that people with auditory

integration problems often sound like they are speaking with and an accent. The

explaination given is that because we do not hear the more subtle distinctions

in pronounciation we do not learn to pronounce things correctly. This would not

explain why I only have this sometimes, but I suppose half an explaination is

better than none.

Perhaps a consistant pattern of mispronounciation could sound like an accent,

but would it correspond to a real accent. I will try to describe my " accent "

and would like feed back from some Europeans about whether this might

corresponds to any type of actual Bristish accent or if it just sounds like it

to ignorant Americans. The most noticable thing is that in words that end with

the letter t the t is not pronounced and sometimes the last sylable is dropped.

The word " you " tends to come out as either " ya " or " ja. " Vowl sounds are often

incorrect (such as " ta " for " to " ) or a little off. That is all that come to

mind now. I think there were also more things like my cadance and sylable

emphasis being different but that is difficult to describe.

Ilah

> > > >

> > > > had mentioned this phenomenon in one of the forums. Here

> > is

> > > > an article detailing it.

> > > >

> > http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002680321_syndrome

> > > > 13.html

> > > >

> > > > Foreign Accent syndrome baffles medical experts

> > > >

> > > > Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

> > > >

> > > > By Steve

> > > >

> > > > The Kansas City Star

> > > >

> > > > KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Langdon spent the weekend in bed. She

> > felt

> > > > nauseated, and the words tumbling out of her mouth had nothing to

> > do

> > > > with what she was trying to say. It was frightening. And before

> > the

> > > > weekend was over, her son took her to the hospital.

> > > >

> > > > Langdon, a healthy, active woman of 51, had had a stroke. And

> > like

> > > > many people who suffer strokes, her life since that weekend in

> > May

> > > > 2002 hasn't been the same.

> > > >

> > > > She doesn't run for exercise anymore; her weakened right arm

> > keeps

> > > > her off the tennis court.

> > > >

> > > > And — most puzzling to her and others — when she speaks, her

> > voice

> > > > sounds as if she comes from France. The accent is rather odd for

> > a

> > > > woman who grew up in Missouri. And it's still a mystery even to

> > > > scientists who have studied cases similar to Langdon's.

> > > >

> > > > Langdon is among only a couple of dozen known cases of people who

> > > > have developed " foreign accent syndrome. " In most cases, since

> > the

> > > > condition was identified more than 80 years ago, their natural

> > > > voices have been altered by some kind of brain trauma or head

> > injury.

> > > >

> > > > People who know Langdon, including colleagues and marketing

> > clients,

> > > > have by now become accustomed to her change of voice. But when

> > she

> > > > meets new people, they often ask where she's from.

> > > >

> > > > " It's annoying, " she says.

> > > >

> > > > Before her stroke, most people knew Langdon as an effusive,

> > creative

> > > > woman. A divorced mother of three, she still operates a

> > marketing,

> > > > consulting and creative production firm out of her home.

> > > >

> > > > In May 2002, Langdon says, she had two episodes that signaled

> > > > something was wrong: Flashes in one eye, ringing in her left ear,

> > > > poor coordination and difficulty speaking were among the

> > symptoms.

> > > > After the stroke, Langdon was unable to speak and underwent

> > months

> > > > of physical and speech therapy.

> > > >

> > > > " All she could do was smile, " says daughter Langdon, now

> > > > 24. " For someone who was active and very outspoken ... to go from

> > > > that to nothing but facial expressions, that was traumatic. We

> > > > couldn't fathom the idea that our mother could not speak. "

> > > >

> > > > It took about six weeks before Langdon's voice began to come

> > back. A

> > > > friend, Janis Rovick, remembers being in the room when Langdon

> > > > looked up and said, " Hi. "

> > > >

> > > > But then Langdon had to learn how to speak all over again.

> > > >

> > > > " I knew the words, " she says now, " but I had to learn to form the

> > > > words. There were some words I couldn't say and sounds I couldn't

> > > > even make. "

> > > >

> > > > Scientists who have studied patients with foreign-accent syndrome

> > > > have begun to understand the condition better in recent years as

> > > > brain-imaging technology has improved and as the Internet has

> > made

> > > > it easier to bring scattered research and researchers together,

> > says

> > > > Jack Ryalls of the University of Central Florida.

> > > >

> > > > Ryalls has studied post-stroke speech problems for 25 years and

> > saw

> > > > his first case of foreign-accent syndrome 20 years ago.

> > > >

> > > > While brain researchers used to think language involved discrete

> > > > regions of the brain — part of the frontal lobe, for instance, in

> > > > the left hemisphere — now they theorize it involves a network of

> > > > neurons crossing and connecting multiple regions.

> > > >

> > > > Foreign-accent syndrome may involve a lesion somewhere along that

> > > > network, says Julius Fridriksson, assistant professor of

> > > > communications sciences and disorders at the University of South

> > > > Carolina.

> > > >

> > > > The act of speaking involves the movement and coordination of 50

> > > > muscles, Fridriksson says, and damage along the nerve network

> > could

> > > > affect any movement controlling the larynx or face or other

> > speech-

> > > > related body parts.

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

December 18, 2005

born and raised where?Ilah <theturtlemoves@...> wrote: At times I slip into an "accent" or something that is percieved as an accent. Sometimes I am not aware of it till it is pointed out to me. Sometimes I am aware in a very detatched sort of way that I have started to think differently. It especially came out when I had a customer service job where I had to say the same thing over and over my whole shift. Various people have described it as sounding English or Welsh or Cockney. It sounds a bit like one of the "lower class" English accents to me. I was born and raised in the U.S. and have not traveled outside the U.S. except for few very short trips to Canada.I was completely baffled and did not no what to make of it or what could be causing it. I suppose that it

could be some past life thing or a couple of other complex metaphsycial or psychological reasons, but a few month ago I happened on a more mundane explaination. I have auditory integration problems. In addition to have problems making out convesation because of background noises (which is normal for people with highly senstive hearing) I also have more difficulties than most people telling the differences between words and letters that sound similiar. While researching this I found that people with auditory integration problems often sound like they are speaking with and an accent. The explaination given is that because we do not hear the more subtle distinctions in pronounciation we do not learn to pronounce things correctly. This would not explain why I only have this sometimes, but I suppose half an explaination is better than none.Perhaps a consistant pattern of mispronounciation could sound like an accent, but would it correspond to a real

accent. I will try to describe my "accent" and would like feed back from some Europeans about whether this might corresponds to any type of actual Bristish accent or if it just sounds like it to ignorant Americans. The most noticable thing is that in words that end with the letter t the t is not pronounced and sometimes the last sylable is dropped. The word "you" tends to come out as either "ya" or "ja." Vowl sounds are often incorrect (such as "ta" for "to" ) or a little off. That is all that come to mind now. I think there were also more things like my cadance and sylable emphasis being different but that is difficult to describe.Ilah> > > >> > > > had mentioned this phenomenon in one of the forums. Here > > is > > > > an article detailing it.> > > > > > > > > > http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002680321_syndrome> > > > 13.html> > > > > > > > Foreign Accent syndrome baffles medical experts> > > > > > > > Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM> > > > > > > > By Steve > > > > > > > > The Kansas City Star> > > > > > > > KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Langdon spent

the weekend in bed. She > > felt > > > > nauseated, and the words tumbling out of her mouth had nothing to > > do > > > > with what she was trying to say. It was frightening. And before > > the > > > > weekend was over, her son took her to the hospital.> > > > > > > > Langdon, a healthy, active woman of 51, had had a stroke. And > > like > > > > many people who suffer strokes, her life since that weekend in > > May > > > > 2002 hasn't been the same.> > > > > > > > She doesn't run for exercise anymore; her weakened right arm > > keeps > > > > her off the tennis court.> > > > > > > > And — most puzzling to her and others — when she speaks, her > > voice > > > > sounds as if she comes from France. The accent is

rather odd for > > a > > > > woman who grew up in Missouri. And it's still a mystery even to > > > > scientists who have studied cases similar to Langdon's.> > > > > > > > Langdon is among only a couple of dozen known cases of people who > > > > have developed "foreign accent syndrome." In most cases, since > > the > > > > condition was identified more than 80 years ago, their natural > > > > voices have been altered by some kind of brain trauma or head > > injury.> > > > > > > > People who know Langdon, including colleagues and marketing > > clients, > > > > have by now become accustomed to her change of voice. But when > > she > > > > meets new people, they often ask where she's from.> > > > > > > > "It's annoying," she

says.> > > > > > > > Before her stroke, most people knew Langdon as an effusive, > > creative > > > > woman. A divorced mother of three, she still operates a > > marketing, > > > > consulting and creative production firm out of her home.> > > > > > > > In May 2002, Langdon says, she had two episodes that signaled > > > > something was wrong: Flashes in one eye, ringing in her left ear, > > > > poor coordination and difficulty speaking were among the > > symptoms. > > > > After the stroke, Langdon was unable to speak and underwent > > months > > > > of physical and speech therapy.> > > > > > > > "All she could do was smile," says daughter Langdon, now > > > > 24. "For someone who was active and very outspoken ... to go from >

> > > that to nothing but facial expressions, that was traumatic. We > > > > couldn't fathom the idea that our mother could not speak."> > > > > > > > It took about six weeks before Langdon's voice began to come > > back. A > > > > friend, Janis Rovick, remembers being in the room when Langdon > > > > looked up and said, "Hi."> > > > > > > > But then Langdon had to learn how to speak all over again.> > > > > > > > "I knew the words," she says now, "but I had to learn to form the > > > > words. There were some words I couldn't say and sounds I couldn't > > > > even make."> > > > > > > > Scientists who have studied patients with foreign-accent syndrome > > > > have begun to understand the condition better in recent years as > > >

> brain-imaging technology has improved and as the Internet has > > made > > > > it easier to bring scattered research and researchers together, > > says > > > > Jack Ryalls of the University of Central Florida.> > > > > > > > Ryalls has studied post-stroke speech problems for 25 years and > > saw > > > > his first case of foreign-accent syndrome 20 years ago.> > > > > > > > While brain researchers used to think language involved discrete > > > > regions of the brain — part of the frontal lobe, for instance, in > > > > the left hemisphere — now they theorize it involves a network of > > > > neurons crossing and connecting multiple regions.> > > > > > > > Foreign-accent syndrome may involve a lesion somewhere along that > > > > network, says

Julius Fridriksson, assistant professor of > > > > communications sciences and disorders at the University of South > > > > Carolina.> > > > > > > > The act of speaking involves the movement and coordination of 50 > > > > muscles, Fridriksson says, and damage along the nerve network > > could > > > > affect any movement controlling the larynx or face or other > > speech-> > > > related body parts.> > > > > > > > Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company> > > >> > >> >>If you love something, set it free! So it is with books. See what I mean atwww.bookcrossing.com/friend/nheckoblogcritics.orghttp://notesfromnancy.blogspot.com Heckofreelance proofreadernancygailus@...__________________________________________________

December 18, 2005