Dr. Alejandro Alva, MD

Clinical Trials

• SUVN-502 With Donepezil and Memantine for the Treatment of Moderate Alzheimer's Disease- Phase 2a Study

Media Releases

Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. Alejandro Alva, who serves patients throughout the State of California.

As a skilled and experienced psychiatrist, Dr. Alva is the Founder, Chief Medical Officer, and CEO of Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists. With an aim to provide the highest quality treatment in the field of psychiatry, he sees psychiatric patients of all ages with a focus on substance abuse and chemical dependency treatment, as well as general psychiatric disorders.

Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists is a leading mental health medical group founded on the principle of treating patients with the care, compassion, and understanding of family members. They offer exceptional treatments for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors, from  four conveniently located offices in Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Orange, and Dana Point, California. The staff enhances the well-being of persons with mental, neuropsychiatric disorders, and chemical dependence through optimal clinical care via residential care, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, and outpatient services. If a more intense approach is needed, they have an ample net of inpatient referrals. 

Dr. Alva’s pioneering vision of Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists integrates the latest advances in psychoanalysis, psychology, scientific research, social and behavioral therapies, neurochemistry, psychopharmacology, as well as non-pharmacological modalities (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) with the purpose of treating mental illness, including chemical/alcohol dependence. 

To keep up with the latest advancements in psychiatric care, the doctor maintains active membership in a number of professional medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, the Orange County Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the California Psychiatric Association, as well as multiple others. He is also a member of several specialty organizations and boards, including the American Board of Forensic Medicine, the American College of Forensic Examiners, and the American Board of Psychopharmacology.

On the subject of his educational background, Dr. Alva earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton, and completed medical school at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine in Mexico. He then returned to California, where he completed his residency in psychiatry at the University of California, Irvine..

Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions. Psychiatrists evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, and evaluate treatment results.

Like most of the Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists staff, Dr. Alva is bilingual and bicultural. He believes that it is his duty to reach out to the Latino community and the general community. To help him understand the mental health barriers facing different ethnic populations, he is active in the California Hispanic American Medical Association and the American Association of Hispanic Professionals.

Recommended Articles

• Coping with Geriatric Depression

  Geriatric depression is a mental and emotional disorder that affects seniors.  Every stage of life has its own set of challenges and aging is no exception. In fact, significant major changes surface and occur later life, such as the death of a loved one, retirement, medical problems, and increased...

• What Is Akathisia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

  What is akathisia?Akathisia is a feeling of anxiety or restlessness. Its symptoms tend to overlap with the symptoms of other physical and psychological disorders. The diagnosis depends on a very subjective feeling of restlessness. Hence, recognizing akathisia can be somewhat tricky. Movement...

• What are the Different Types of Anxiety?

  What is anxiety?Individuals who have anxiety normally face stressful situations under normal circumstances, meaning, that they can become fearful and nervous completely out of context when a situation doesn't have any reason for these reactions. This is considered anxiety.Anxiety can be caused be a...

• Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

  The following are some of the treatments of MS that focus on slowing the progression of the disease, speeding recovery from attacks, and managing symptoms.Treatments for MS Attacks...

• What Is Male Borderline Personality Disorder?

  Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is defined as a mental disorder that generally affects the way individuals think and feel about themselves and other people. People with this personality disorder often have unstable personal relationships due to their extreme emotions, impulsiveness, and...

• Reading to Your Children: The Path to Healthy Kids

  Storytelling is a vehicle for parents to bond with their children, while instilling values and character traits. Making time for a 15 minute story is a great way to directly connect with your children.Storytelling is a tradition as old as human history. The stories of Aesop may come to mind. The...