Which term describes brain swelling causing increased intracranial pressure?

• A. Increased ICP
• B. Cerebral Edema
• C. Decerebrate Posturing
• D. Basilar Skull Fracture

Answer: (B)

Cerebral edema is the swelling of brain tissue itself. When brain cells and the surrounding interstitial spaces take on extra fluid, the tissue expands. Because the skull is a rigid container, any increase in brain volume raises intracranial pressure. This connection—the swelling causing a rise in pressure—is why cerebral edema is the best term to describe brain swelling that leads to increased intracranial pressure. Increased ICP describes the result, not the process of swelling. Decerebrate posturing is a motor sign of severe brain injury, often indicating brainstem involvement, not swelling. Basilar skull fracture is a bone injury at the base of the skull, which can cause various complications but isn’t the description of swelling. So the term that directly captures both the swelling and its effect on pressure is cerebral edema.