Which symptom best suggests hydrocephalus?

• A. Headache, gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, may have papilledema
• B. Nausea only
• C. Visual loss in one eye
• D. Hearing loss

Answer: (A)

Hydrocephalus raises the pressure inside the skull by accumulating cerebrospinal fluid, so the symptoms reflect global brain pressure and its effects on movement and cognition. The combination of headache, gait disturbance, and cognitive impairment captures both the increased intracranial pressure and the disruption of brain circuits involved in coordination and thinking. Papilledema, or swelling of the optic disc, can occur with sustained elevated pressure and is a classic eye finding when ICP is high.

Nausea alone is nonspecific and can occur with many conditions; visual loss in one eye points to an optic or retinal problem rather than widespread intracranial pressure, and hearing loss suggests inner ear or auditory nerve pathology. Together, the first cluster best fits the pattern of hydrocephalus.