British Woman Develops Thai Accent Following Stroke in Turkey

Cathy Warren, a 29-year-old from Basingstoke, Hampshire, experienced a stroke while on holiday in Fethiye, Turkey, which left her with paralysis on the left side of her body and an unexpected change in her accent from British to Thai, similar to her mother's. Initially mistaking her symptoms for heat stroke, she was rushed to hospital where scans confirmed the stroke, and she was later diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS), a rare condition causing speech changes usually following brain injury. Despite completing speech therapy, Cathy’s accent remains altered, and doctors have not guaranteed a return to her original British accent, leading her to feel she has lost part of her identity. She spent significant time in hospital and rehabilitation relearning to walk and coping with the lasting effects of her condition. Cathy’s case highlights the rare and profound impact strokes can have on speech and identity, especially in young adults. The doctors speculate her new accent may be influenced by her mother's Thai accent and the circumstances of the stroke occurring abroad.