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A foreign speech accent in a case of conversion disorder
Jo Verhoeven1, Peter Mariën, Sebastiaan Engelborghs
1Department of Linguistics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. jo.verhoeven@ua.ac.be
Behavioural Neurology
|March 7, 2006
Summary
This case study details a Dutch native speaker with a persistent French-like accent, diagnosed as conversion disorder. This highlights a rare psychogenic cause for foreign accent syndrome symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Linguistics
Background:
- Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) is a rare speech disorder where a patient's accent is perceived as foreign.
- Typically linked to focal brain damage, FAS can occasionally stem from psychogenic or psychotic origins.
Observation:
- A native Dutch speaker presented with persistent, worsening speech resembling a French accent.
- Symptoms extended beyond pronunciation to lexicon, syntax, and pragmatics.
Findings:
- Neuroimaging revealed no structural or functional brain abnormalities.
- Psychological evaluation indicated conversion disorder as the underlying cause.
Implications:
- This case represents the first documented instance of foreign accent-like syndrome associated with conversion disorder.
- Suggests psychogenic factors can manifest as complex linguistic and phonetic changes, broadening the differential diagnosis for FAS.