Dr. John F Alksne M.D.

Expert Publications

• Prevention of persistent cerebral smooth muscle contraction in response to whole blood.
• Prevention of persistent cerebral smooth muscle contraction in response to whole blood.
• Vasospasms.
• Vasospasms.
• Infections complicating the use of external ventriculostomy.
• Thalamic hypometabolism in a patient undergoing vagal nerve stimulation seen on F-18 FDG PET imaging.
• The passage of colloidal particles across the dermal capillary wall under the influence of histamine.
• EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOSOMATIC DISEASE STATES IN MONKEYS. II. GUT HYPERMOTILITY.
• Hormonal changes following hypophysectomy in humans.
• Hormonal changes following hypophysectomy in humans.
• A comparison of the effects on neuronal Golgi morphology, assessed with electron microscopy, of cardiopulmonary bypass, low-flow bypass, and circulatory arrest during profound hypothermia.
• Improvement of aggressive and antisocial behavior after resection of temporal lobe tumors.
• Retromastoid cisternal Ommaya reservoir for intrathecal therapy of
• Is a large hat size hazardous to your health?
• Increased intracranial volume: a clue to the etiology of idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus?

Media Releases

Get to know Neurosurgeon Dr. John Alksne, who serves patients in the State of California. 

Dr. Alksne, a board-certified neurosurgeon, focuses on the care of patients with neurological conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia, tic douloureux, facial pain, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, and acoustic neuroma. He practices at Jacobs Medical Center and the UC San Diego Medical Center, Hillcrest, both of which are a part of UC San Diego Health.

UC San Diego Health is the academic health system of the University of California, San Diego. It is the only academic health system serving San Diego and has one of only two adult Level I trauma centers in the region.

With over fifty-five years of experience in the field of medicine under his belt, Dr. Alksne is a Professor Emeritus of Neurosurgery and the former Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Prior to his current endeavors, he served as the Chief of Neurosurgery at Harbor General Hospital at UCLA from 1964 until 1967 and as a Professor and Chair of Neurological Surgery at the Medical College of Virginia from 1967 until 1971. He completed his residency training at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he also earned his medical degree. 

Having pioneered new surgical techniques and technologies to advance the treatment of diseases and disorders of the central nervous system, he established the Epilepsy Surgery Program at UC San Diego Health. In 1992, he was honored with a special commendation by the Epilepsy Society of San Diego County. He was instrumental in establishing the UC San Diego Program in Gene Therapy, which includes research, training, and clinical trials. In 1993, he performed the first surgery at the John M. and Sally B. Thornton Hospital and Perlman Ambulatory Care Center at the University of California, San Diego. 

To further enhance his professional development, the doctor remains a member of many scientific and professional societies, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Latin American Federation of Neurosurgeons, the World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the Association of Academic Health Centers. Additionally, Dr. Alksne is board-certified in neurological surgery by the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS). The primary purposes of the ABNS are to conduct examinations of candidates who voluntarily seek certification and to issue certificates to those who meet the requirements of the board and satisfactorily complete its examinations.

Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system. Neurosurgeons are doctors who diagnose and treat problems with the nervous system, often by performing surgery on the brain or spine. They treat strokes, tumors, certain types of birth defects, infections, and head or spinal cord injuries.

In his personal life, Dr. Alksne is married with four children. 

Recommended Articles

• What Is Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus?

  Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a type of brain disorder, wherein excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the ventricles of the brain. It causes problems in reasoning, thinking, difficulty in walking, and loss of bladder control.Brains ventricles are hollow fluid-filled chambers. Even...

• What Are the Risks of Laminectomy?

  Your doctor will first attempt to give you other alternative treatments before recommending surgery. If your back pain still persists after treatment, your doctor may suggest for surgery as one of the solutions. Laminectomy is the most probable surgical procedure that you will have to undergo.Facts...

• What to Expect in Laminectomy and Spinal Fusion

  Decompressive laminectomy is done to release pressure exerted on the roots of the nerves found on the lower back. The condition is mostly brought by old age. There are, however, other reasons your surgeon may suggest surgery. These include herniated discs, traumas, and tumors. In case you are going...

• Recovery After a Laminectomy

  Laminectomy is a surgical procedure done for the removal of the lamina, bone spurs, and ligaments that may be putting pressure on your spinal nerves and causing lower back pain. The procedure is said to be one of the most commonly performed back surgeries. Below is a detailed information on what...

• Everything You Need to Know About a Laminectomy

  What Is a Laminectomy?The lamina is the back part of your vertebra covering the spinal canal. Your doctor could decide to eliminate your lamina or the bone spurs around it when either causes compression of your spinal cord or the roots of your nerves. Pressure on the roots of your nerves can cause:...

• What Is Oromandibular Dystonia?

  Oromandibular DystoniaOromandibular dystonia is a type of focal dystonia. This condition is also called cranial dystonia, in which the face, jaw, or tongue forcefully contracts and becomes difficult to open and close the mouth. Thus, a person's speech and ability to chew are affected. Cranial...