Muscle sympathetic response to arousal predicts neurovascular reactivity during mental stress

Key points•  Mental stress (MS) is often initiated by a sensory or cognitive stimulus, which induces a brief arousal reaction followed by a longer stress phase. Both phases induce blood pressure (BP) increases whereas effects on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) vary: in approximately 50% of healthy subjects (responders) arousal induces a brief MSNA reduction, which is absent in the remaining 50% (non‐responders). •  We now report a link between the arousal response and neurovascular effects of MS in healthy males. •  Our data show that during MS, responders to arousal exhibited a significant decrease of MSNA and a lesser BP increase compared to non‐responders. The whole material displayed a positive correlation between MSNA responses induced by arousal and MS. In addition, arousal induced MSNA changes correlated positively with BP changes during MS. •  We conclude that the MSNA response to arousal predicts MSNA and BP responses to MS.