This is a compilation of papers presented at the Eighth International Symposium on Brain Oedema, held in June 1990, in Berne, Switzerland. The symposium explored aspects from clinical medicine as well as basic science. Clinicians and scientists from many fields of neuroscience contributed to the presentations and discussions. Besides chapters on pathophysiology, these papers focus on the major disease processes associated with brain oedema: tumours, trauma, ischaemia, hydrocephalus, hypertension, infection and pseudotumor cerebri. The text aims to provide a coherent presentation of the neuropathology, pathophysiology, clinical findings, in vivo diagnosis and therapeutic aspects of each given entity.