Leanne Rowe, a born and bred Tasmanian, used to speak like most other Australians.

But eight years ago a bus crash forever changed her life - leaving her with a French accent.

The rare condition is known as Foreign Accent Syndrome - and Rowe says that it has made her feel anxious, depressed and reclusive.

University of Sydney psychologist, Dr Karen Croot, says the syndrome is caused by tissue damage to area of the brain responsible for speech.

"It's just an accident, an accident of chance that happens to that person. That what happens to their speech, happens to overlap with the features of a known accent."