Leonard Jason

Leonard A. Jason is a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an ME/CFS patient and runs the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Project at DePaul University.

Leonard Jason was profiled in the New York Times in 2011 by David Tuller.

Awards

 * 2011, Rudy Perpich Senior Lectureship Award, presented to a distinguished CFS/FM scientist, physician or healthcare worker awarded by IACFS/ME

Open Letter to The Lancet
Two open letters to the editor of The Lancet urged the editor to commission a fully independent review of the PACE trial, which the journal had published in 2011. The first, written in 2015, was sign by Dr. Jason and 5 of his colleagues. In 2016, thirty-six additional colleagues in the ME/CFS field, signed the second letter.
 * 13 November 2015, An open letter to Dr. Richard Horton and The Lancet
 * 10 February 2016, An open letter to The Lancet, again - Virology blog

Studies

 * 2016, Deconstructing post-exertional malaise: An exploratory factor analysis. "'Abstract: Post-exertional malaise is a cardinal symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome. There are two differing focuses when defining post-exertional malaise: a generalized, full-body fatigue and a muscle-specific fatigue. This study aimed to discern whether post-exertional malaise is a unified construct or whether it is composed of two smaller constructs, muscle fatigue and generalized fatigue. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on several symptoms that assess post-exertional malaise. The results suggest that post-exertional malaise is composed of two empirically different experiences, one for generalized fatigue and one for muscle-specific fatigue.'"
 * 2016, Assessing current functioning as a measure of significant reduction in activity level
 * 2016, The Role of Infectious and Stress-related Onsets in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptomatology and Functioning
 * 2016, Educational Priorities for Healthcare Providers and Name Suggestions for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Including the Patient Voice
 * 2016, qEEG / LORETA in Assessment of Neurocognitive Impairment in a Patient with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case Report (Marcie Zinn, Mark Zinn, Leonard Jason)
 * 2016, Case definitions integrating empiric and consensus perspectives
 * 2016, Comparing the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire with physician assessments: a preliminary study"'Results: The DSQ identified 60 and the physicians identified 56 as having a CCC diagnosis. The overall agreement between the two ratings on the diagnostic assessment part was moderate (Kappa = 0.45, p < .001). The sensitivity of DSQ was good (98%) while the specificity was 38%. Positive and negative predictive values were 92% and 75%, respectively. Conclusion: DSQ is useful for detecting and screening symptoms consistent with a CCC diagnosis in clinical practice and research. However, it is important for initial screening of self-report symptoms to be followed up by subsequent medical and psychiatric examination in order to identify possible exclusionary medical and psychiatric disorders.'"
 * 2015, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: Symptoms and Biomarkers. (Marcie Zinn, Mark Zinn, Leonard Jason)
 * 2015, Functional level of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome reporting use of alternative vs. traditional treatments
 * 2015, Chronic fatigue syndrome versus systemic exertion intolerance disease
 * 2015, Variability in symptoms complicates utility of case definitions. Abstract
 * 2015, Comparing and contrasting consensus versus empirical domains. Abstract
 * 2015, Test–retest reliability of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire Abstract"'Methods: Test–retest reliability of the measure was examined with a sample of 26 adults self-identifying as having either ME/CFS, ME, and/or CFS and 25 adults who did not self-identify as having these illnesses and were otherwise healthy controls. Results: Overall, the majority of items on the DSQ exhibited good to excellent test–retest reliability, with Pearson's or kappa correlation coefficients that were 0.70 or higher.'"
 * 2014, Validating a measure of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome symptomatology. Abstract"'Methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to establish the underlying factor structure of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) using a well-characterized sample of individuals (92.6% met the Fukuda et al. criteria and/or the Clinical Canadian Criteria) and this structure was then tested on a less stringently recruited sample of individuals utilizing a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent and discriminant validity of the DSQ were also examined utilizing alternative measures of symptomatology and functioning. Results: A three-factor solution was found using EFA (Neuroendocrine, Autonomic, and Immune Symptoms; Neurological/Cognitive Dysfunction; Post-Exertional Malaise) and the fit of this factor structure was adequate for the second sample. The DSQ was found to have good convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusions: The DSQ is a valid tool for assessing ME/CFS symptoms. There may be two core ME/CFS symptom clusters: post-exertional malaise and cognitive dysfunction.'"
 * 2014, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Current Status and Future Potentials of Emerging Biomarkers. Abstract
 * 2013, Energy conservation/envelope theory interventions. Abstract
 * 2012, Minimum data elements for research reports on CFS.
 * 2006, Causes of death among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
 * 2003, Identification of ambiguities in the 1994 chronic fatigue syndrome research case definition and recommendations for resolution
 * 2000, Chronic fatigue syndrome: sociodemographic subtypes in a community-based sample.

Talks & Interviews

 * Oct 2015, Defining essential features of myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome (Sweden)]
 * 2015, DePaul Chili Challenge video

Invest in ME International ME Conference

 * 2010, Speaker at the 5th Invest in ME International ME Conference on Key Note Speech: How Case Definitions Can Stigmatize: Implications for Epidemiology, Etiology, and Pathophysiology DVD available
 * 2008, Speaker at the 3rd Invest in ME International ME Conference on Case Definitions of ME/CFS – including paediatric case definition DVD available

ME/CFS Alert

 * 2011, ME/CFS Alert Episode 10 - Dr. Leonard Jason, Pt. 3
 * 2011, ME/CFS Alert Episode 09 - Dr. Leonard Jason, Pt. 2
 * 2011, ME/CFS Alert Episode 08 - Dr. Leonard Jason, Pt. 1

Web seminars Science for Patients / Wetenschap voor patienten (The Netherlands, english spoken, dutch subtitles)

 * 2014, 50. Introduction - Experience with ME / Introductie - Ervaring met ME Prof. Leonard Jason


 * 2014, 51. Criteria and Diagnosis part 1 / Criteria en diagnose deel 1 - Prof. Leonard Jason


 * 2014, 52. Criteria and Diagnosis part 2 / Criteria en diagnose deel 2 - Prof. Leonard Jason


 * 2014, 53. ME versus Psychiatric Disorders / ME versus psychiatrische aandoeningen - Prof. Leonard Jason


 * 2014, 54. Treating and managing ME / Behandelen van en omgaan met ME -Prof. Leonard Jason


 * 2014, 55. Symptoms of ME and treatments / Symptomen van ME en behandelingen - Prof. Leonard Jason


 * 2014, 56. Population and Social Impact / Populatie en sociale gevolgen - Prof. Leonard Jason


 * 2014, 57. Future and Teachibg about ME / Toekomst en onderwijs geven over ME - Prof. Leonard Jason

Books

 * 2003, The Handbook of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Leonard Jason, Patricia Fennell and Renée R. Taylor.
 * 1998, Understanding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Empirical Guide to Assessment and Treatment, by Fred Friedberg and Leonard Jason

Online Presence

 * Website
 * Twitter

Learn More

 * Wikipedia - Leonard Jason