What term refers to pressure within the skull?

• A. Coup-Contrecoup
• B. Postictal State
• C. Intracranial Pressure
• D. Subdural Hematoma

Answer: (C)

Pressure inside the skull is called intracranial pressure. The skull is a rigid container that holds brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood; when any component swells, bleeds, or accumulates, there isn’t room for expansion, so the pressure rises. Normal intracranial pressure in adults is about 7–15 mmHg; elevations can cause headaches, nausea, altered mental status, and, if severe, brain herniation. Among the options, the term that directly names this pressure is intracranial pressure. The other terms describe different concepts: coup-contrecoup refers to brain injury from opposite-side impact during rapid head movement; postictal state is the recovery period after a seizure; subdural hematoma is a collection of blood in the space beneath the dura that can raise pressure but is not the pressure itself.