Question

When trying to explain the difference between vasogenic versus cytotoxic cerebral edema, the physiology instructor mentions that cytotoxic edema displays which functions in the brain? select all that apply?

Answer 1

Cytotoxic edema allows cells to increase volume to the point of rupture, damaging neighboring cells and it causes ischemia to build up lactic acid due to anaerobic metabolism.

Cytotoxic cerebral oedema is a type of cerebral oedema, commonly seen in cerebral ischaemia, in which extracellular water passes into cells, resulting in their swelling. Ischemia causes the insufficient removal of anaerobic metabolic end products, producing extracellular acidosis. If the level of the blood flow is reduced,cellular edema can cause the cell membrane to rupture thereby allowing the outflow of intracellular contents into the surrounding extracellular fluid and this can lead to the damage of neighboring cells.