Foreign accent syndrome due to conversion disorder: Phonetic analyses and clinical course

Multidisciplinary Assessment and Diagnosis of Conversion Disorder in a Patient with Foreign Accent Syndrome

“…However, two reports of conversion disorder associated with FAS in the literature [28,29] also presented with unusual gait, similar to the present case. In the present case, as well as the patient described by Haley and colleagues [29], the bilateral gait abnormalities during relapses were suspicious for psychogenic gait disorders, while in the case described by Verhoeven and colleagues [28], an eight year history of progressive gait disturbance eventually left the patient wheelchair bound. Hemiplegia, with or without facial weakness, may also be encountered in FAS, though recovery or improvement often occurs.…”

“…Rarely does the speech pattern match the non-native speech encountered in a specific language; thus, the term pseudoforeign accent is also appropriate. By any measure, FAS is a rarely encountered communication disorder, with Haley and colleagues [29] estimating the presence of about 50 cases in the literature. We present a case of FAS secondary to conversion disorder based on multidisciplinary assessment and treatment.…”

“…She developed FAS and a progressive gait disturbance over the course of the following eight years. Most recently, Haley et al [29] reported a case of FAS associated with conversion disorder in a 36-year-old female with intermittent episodes of neurological symptoms, such as increased speech and gait disturbances, sensory changes, and weakness. Between acute exacerbations typically lasting two to four days, the patient's accent was considered milder.…”

“…More recently, FAS has been associated with a variety of neurological illnesses, including multiple sclerosis [19,20], primary progressive aphasia [21], cerebellar hypoperfusion [22], and metastatic breast cancer [23]. Several case reports of patients with FAS and psychiatric illness without a known brain lesion have also appeared, including patients with bipolar disease [24], psychosis [25,26], psychogenic illness [27], and conversion disorder [28,29]. In this paper, we describe the multidisciplinary assessment and diagnosis of FAS secondary to conversion disorder.…”

Neurogenic foreign accent syndrome: Articulatory setting, segments and prosody in a Dutch speaker

“…In this speaker, in-depth neurological assessment did not reveal any damage to the central nervous system, but her psychological profile was entirely consistent with conversion disorder. Reliable reports of similar patients are Van Borsel, Janssens, & Santens (2005), Tsuruga, Kobayashi, Hirai, & Kato (2009) and Haley, Roth, Helm-Estabrooks, & Thiessen (2009).…”