Revisiting the boundaries of different altered accents profiles

Abstract

A speaker's accent is regarded as an essential aspect of their identity to the extent that its abnormal modulation may have several negative consequences. Although the so-called foreign accent syndrome (FAS) is the best-known impairment, other altered accent profiles (AAPs) are likely to be more common and often go undiagnosed. Despite significant progress during the last two decades, several consequences of AAPs have yet to be systematically evaluated. Moreover, a common finding in several previous reports is the incompleteness of diagnostic work-up and the rarity of studies reporting longitudinal evolution and treatment approaches. In disorders with presumed low prevalence like AAPs, it is imperative to carry out a comprehensive analysis, documenting not only the altered accent profiles but also the neural correlates and associated disorders affecting cognition, behaviour, quality of life, and outcomes after treatment. This article highlights how to move forward in the multimodal evaluation of altered accents by integrating information from different sources.

Keywords: Accent; Altered accent profiles; Foreign accent syndrome; Neurotransmitter; Speech production network.