Selective alteration of native, but not second language articulation in a patient with foreign accent syndrome

Neuroreport. 2004 Oct 5;15(14):2267-70. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200410050-00025.

Abstract

The present study deals with a right-handed female polyglot suffering from a Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) which affects her native language (L1), but not her other languages learnt since the age of 12. She had a small infarct in the left corona radiata as the result of a carotid occlusion. Her L1 was Spanish, but she also had a good command of French, English and Catalan (L2). Aphasia tests did not reveal any other significant alteration in any language. Analyses of pre-morbid and post-morbid voice recordings revealed that FAS affected Spanish dramatically, but no important changes were observed for French. Results were interpreted as showing that different brain areas control articulation of L1 and L2 learnt after a critical period.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation / methods
  • Articulation Disorders / etiology
  • Articulation Disorders / pathology*
  • Carotid Artery Injuries / complications
  • Carotid Artery Injuries / pathology*
  • Carotid Artery, Internal / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Multilingualism*
  • Speech Articulation Tests / statistics & numerical data*
  • Syndrome