The novel findings of the present study are: (1) exercise training may attenuate hypertension-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats by restoring the balances between the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters and between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the PVN; (2) NF-κB p65 activity, oxidative stress and PICs in the PVN may be involved in the exercise-induced effects; (3) exercise training also has a beneficial effect by restoring the peripheral cytokine balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in hypertension. This evidence concerns the gene NFKB1 and cardiac hypertrophy.