In order to elucidate the mechanism of blood pressure elevation in the patients with borderline hypertension, the sympathetic nervous activity was investigated and the following results were obtained: 1) Plasma catecholamine (CA) levels were elevated in young men but not in middle-aged men with borderline hypertension in comparison with age-matched normal men. 2) Cardiovascular responsiveness to exogenous CA was not augmented in young men with borderline hypertension. 3) Cerebrospinal fluid noradrenaline levels were elevated in young men with borderline hypertension. They correlated positively with plasma NA or blood pressure. 4) In young men with borderline hypertension, plasma and urinary CAs were not altered by hypertonic saline loading. These results suggest that increased activity of the central and peripheral sympathetic nervous system is an important mechanism of blood pressure elevation in young subjects with borderline hypertension.