Bestselling Author | Specialist 'Brain and Behavior'
Jelle Jolles is a publicist, emeritus professor of Neuropsychology, and clinical neuropsychologist. He speaks about the brain in relation to education, upbringing, healthcare, sports & exercise, and social media. For 30 years, he has advocated for an active dialogue between science and society.
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Jolles speaks about the functioning and performance of individuals in various societal domains such as education, upbringing, healthcare, sports and exercise, music, and culture. He delivers inspiring keynotes, workshops, and masterclasses on themes such as learning and memory, language and motor skills, the use of smartphones and social media, and the workings of the brain. His presentations connect insights from brain science and biology with psychological processes and social functioning.
Jolles focuses on children, adolescents, adults, and seniors, always with an eye on their development and growth. Central to his narrative are ‘opportunities and possibilities’ – a common thread that stems from his years of experience as a professor of neuropsychology and as a clinical neuropsychologist.
Since 1986, Jolles has been a professor of Neuropsychology (at Maastricht University, later at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam). He studied both neuroscience/neurochemistry and neuropsychology/psychology, is a registered clinical neuropsychologist and health psychologist, and has worked for many years in the healthcare practice. He has supervised more than 80 PhD candidates and published over 600 English-language articles and many hundreds of Dutch-language articles.
Through his consultancy practice NeuroPsy in Amsterdam, he supports educational institutions, healthcare organizations, sports federations, and policymakers. His popular books Ellis and the Brain (2010), The Teenage Brain (2017) and Get to Know Your Child (2020) were bestsellers. In the autumn of 2025, his new book on the role of educators and society in the talent development of young people will be published.
Jolles is a highly sought-after speaker at conferences, study days, and symposia. Annually, he delivers 40 to 50 ‘inspirational lectures’ and other keynotes for educational organizations, governments, healthcare professionals, and the business sector. He covers a wide range of topics and can give an inspirational lecture on ‘the future of our education’, or speak at a conference for sports coaches or remedial teachers, or update healthcare professionals on learning and memory. He knows how to touch and inspire his audience; with his narrative style, engaging illustrations, and sharp metaphors, he makes complex knowledge accessible and captivating. His TED talk on learning and education and webinars on the Teenage Brain and smartphone use have each been viewed over 14,000 times, and he reaches a large audience weekly through his LinkedIn profile with 35,000 followers.
Jelle Jolles advocates for an active dialogue between science and practice. He is regularly featured in the media and publishes in NRC and Trouw in columns for parents and educators. His goal is to enable various sectors in society to benefit from the many insights gained about the relationship between the brain, cognition, and behavior.
– Adolescents are still a ‘work in progress’, and their brain is only fully matured around the age of 25; it is crucial for adults to realise this.
– How can we better understand ‘the user manual of the adolescent’ and guide him or her more effectively?
– Should you let go or provide direction? About supporting, guiding and inspiring, and the importance of ‘freedom within security’.
– The teenager/adolescent as a ‘work in progress’: what can we expect and not expect from them?
– About curiosity, the social brain of young people, and their natural tendency to explore and undertake.
– The brain is hungry and wants to be stimulated: what does this mean for how we teach, raise and coach?
– Why oral language skills and executive functions are essential – and how you can purposefully stimulate them.
– Increase your personal effectiveness by understanding your own neuropsychological functioning.
– ‘Brain plasticity allows us to adapt to a changing environment’ – and what this means for adults from 20 to 90+.
– The brain loves music: why listening and making music significantly contribute to cognitive and emotional functioning
– In dealing with music, everything comes together: perception, language, spatial thinking, motor skills and movement, and well-being.
– The teenager, sport and exercise: indispensable for development and growth
– Exercise and sport viewed through a neuropsychological lens: why the brain thrives on physical activity.
– Language praxis and oral language skills are crucial for our self-awareness and our knowledge of the world
– ‘Language is the vehicle of thought’: concrete tools to stimulate oral language skills.
– The brain is hungry and wants to be stimulated – and ten reasons why reading is of great importance
– Why experiencing and appreciating culture is essential for children, teenagers and adults: a neuropsychological perspective.
– B/G, M/F? About the interplay of biological, social and cultural factors
– How understanding the similarities and differences between boys and girls helps in optimal talent development.
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Jelle Jolles speaks about how people function and perform in a wide range of societal domains, such as education and parenting, healthcare, sport and exercise, music and culture. He is frequently asked to give presentations on themes such as learning and memory, language, movement, smartphones & social media, and how the brain works. In his lectures, he connects insights from biology and neuroscience with psychological processes and social functioning. His presentations cover children, adolescents, adults and the elderly, and often carry a signature of ‘personal development’. He always focuses on ‘opportunities and possibilities’, inspired by his many years of work as a professor of neuropsychology and clinical neuropsychologist.
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