Celebration of Bristol-led European consortium advancing the neuroscience of emotions

The International Symposium in the Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building attracted around 150 attendeesUniversity of Bristol

CEN has brought together leading researchers from across Europe to address the contribution of the cerebellum in the control of emotions, and in particular in fear and anxiety

Press release issued: 5 June 2025

After four years, an international research programme exploring the brain circuits that underlie emotional behaviour, hosted a final celebratory event at the University of Bristol.

On Wednesday 4th June, the Cerebellum and Emotional Networks (CEN) consortium hosted an international symposium in the Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building with around 150 attendees, and an art exhibition courtesy of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK) showcasing work by Santiago Ramon y Cajal -a past Nobel Prize Laureate whose scientific drawings, including those of the cerebellum, revolutionized our understanding of brain structure. There was also a supporting satellite exhibition showcasing University of Bristol projects intersecting Art and Science.

CEN is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network, which was awarded €4.5 million in 2021 by the European Commission to create a Consortium of eight European universities and nine industry/charity partners. The programme, led by the University of Bristol, has supported 15 PhD students working across the consortium.

CEN has focused on the control of emotions by the cerebellum (Latin for little brain)- a remarkable brain region that contains more nerve cells than all other parts of the brain put together. The cerebellum plays a vital role in both humans and animals, controlling fine movements and coordination. When damaged, its effects can be profound extending beyond motor control to include serious cognitive and emotional impairments, underscoring its critical importance in brain function.

CEN has brought together leading researchers from across Europe to address the contribution of the cerebellum in the control of emotions, and in particular in fear and anxiety.

Richard Apps, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Bristol and Director of CEN, said: "Over the past four years, CEN has gone from strength to strength—building a dynamic, enduring community of international researchers, clinicians, and non-academic partners. United by a shared mission, members of the consortium are working collaboratively to uncover the cerebellum’s role in emotional processes in both health and disease, while also training the next generation of research leaders."

Both the Ramon y Cajal and University of Bristol art exhibitions will be open to the public from June 4th to 6th in the Wills Memorial Building and the rest of June in the Priory Road complex.

Sponsors include SRUK, Bristol Neuroscience, CONNECTS-UK, Proteintech and Nikon.