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&NA; Accumulated data have revealed that subacute poisoning of 1,2‐dichloroethane (1,2‐DCE), an industrial solvent used in some countries can cause encephalopathy, in which brain edema is the main pathological change. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, we hypothesized that the p38 MAPK (p38) signaling pathway could be activated in 1,2‐DCE‐intoxicated mice, which in turn stimulates transcription factors, such as nuclear factor‐&kgr;B (NF‐&kgr;B) and activator protein‐1 (AP‐1), and then enhances the expression of proinflammatory factors, including matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9), finally leading to blood‐brain barrier (BBB) disruption and brain edema formation. Our results revealed that brain water content and BBB permeability increased significantly in the intoxicated mice. Meanwhile, the levels of phosphorylated p38 (p‐p38) and inhibitory &kgr;B&agr; (p‐I&kgr;B), as well as the expression levels of MMP‐9, c‐jun, c‐fos, and p65, also increased markedly in the brains of intoxicated mice. Conversely, the protein levels of ZO‐1, occludin and claudin‐5 in these mice decreased markedly, but their JAM‐1 protein levels increased dramatically. Our results revealed that p‐p38 levels in the brains of intoxicated mice were suppressed by pretreatment with a p38 inhibitor. In response to suppressed p‐p38 levels, the brain water contents and DNA binding activities of NF‐&kgr;B and AP‐1, as well as the expression levels of MMP‐9, c‐jun, c‐fos, p65, p‐I&kgr;B and JAM‐1, decreased, whereas the protein levels of ZO‐1, occludin and claudin‐5 increased markedly. Taken together, our findings indicated that the p38 signaling pathway might be activated and involved in the course of brain edema in 1,2‐DCE‐intoxicated mice.