Normal vital signs in stroke assessment indicate which of the following about brain function?

• A. Heart and lungs are functioning normally
• B. Kidney function is stable
• C. Brainstem functioning normally
• D. There is no edema

Answer: (C)

Normal vital signs reflect intact brainstem autonomic control of the body's cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The brainstem contains centers that regulate heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, so stable vitals suggest these brainstem functions are functioning normally. The other options relate to organs or processes not directly governed by brainstem autonomic centers (kidney function, edema) or are not assessed by vital signs alone, so they don’t specifically indicate brainstem status.