Medical Expertise

Medical Expertise: Anesthesia for Neurosurgery, Geriatric Anesthesia, Postoperative Pain
Management

Hospital Affiliation

University Hospital, Newark

INSURANCE PARTICIPATION

Insurance Participation: with Provider Number (where applicable)
The information below is subject to change and should not be relied upon until after it is verified with the insurance company. In addition, psychiatric providers should be contacted directly for information on their participation with managed care and insurance companies.

Aetna, Inc.

AmeriGroup

AmeriHealth of NJ

America's Choice Provider Network (ACPN)

Amerivantage Dual Coordination

CHN Solutions

Clover Health Plans

Devon Health Services/ULLICO

Horizon BCBS Managed Care

Horizon NJ Health

Horizon NJ Total Care(HNJH)

Horizon PPO Network

Medicaid

Medicare

MultiPlan

Prime Health Services, Inc.

Qual Care HMO

Qual Care PPO

Three Rivers Provider Network

UHC Comm/Oxford

United Healthcare Community Plan (formerly AmeriChoice of NJ, Inc.)

VA Choice (Health Net Federal Services)

WellCare Health Plans

Overview

Dr Bekker is an internationally recognized expert in neuroanesthesia and is frequently invited to speak at Grand Rounds and Scientific Panels. Dr. Bekker has been active in research for many years. He is the author of 92 peer reviewed publications, 6 US patents, 32 educational reviews and more than 100 abstracts. His work has focused on perioperative brain protection, neuroinflammation, and clinical pharmacology. Dr Bekker was a PI of numerous clinical trials, including studies sponsored by the National Institute of Aging. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Neurosurgical Anesthesiology and is an ad hoc reviewer for 15 peer-reviewed journals, including NEJM, Anesthesiology, Neurosurgery, and Anesthesia and Analgesia.
Currently, Dr Bekker is spearheading a campaign to improve the efficiency of Perioperative Services as well as Patient Safety at the University Hospital

Education

M.D., 1991, UMDNJ-NJMS, Newark NJ
PHD, 1987, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark NJ
M.S., 1983, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark NJ
B.S., 1974, Tbilisi State University, Georgia USSR

Licensure & Certification

Medical Licensure
New Jersey

Curriculum Vitae

View CV

Relevant Publications

Kang S, Li J, Bekker A, Ye JH. Rescue of glutamate transport in the lateral habenula alleviates depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in ethanol-withdrawn rats. Neuropharmacol 2018 Feb;129:47-56.

Sun L, Zhao J-Y, Gu X, Liang L, Mo K, Wu S, Feng J, Lutz BM, Bekker A, Zhao X, Nestler EJ, Tao Y-X. Nerve injury-induced epigenetic silencing of opioid receptors controlled by DNMT3a in primary afferent neurons. Pain 2017, 158:1153-65.

Zhao J, Liang L, Gu X, Li Z, Sun L, Wu S, Atianjoh FE, Feng J, Mo K, Jia S, Lutz BM, Bekker A, Nestler E, Tao Y-X. Contribution of DNMT3a to neuropathic pain genesis by downregulating Kcna2 in primary afferent neurons. Nature Communications 2017, 8:14712.

Zhang J, Miao X, Liang L, Wu S, Cao J, Tao B, Mao Q, Mo K, Lutz BM, Bekker A, Tao Y-X. Contribution of the histone methyltransferase SUV39H1 in dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord dorsal horn to neuropathic pain. Anesthesiology 2016, 125:765-78.

Le V, Kurnutala L, SchianodiCola J, Ahmed K, Yarmush J, Eloy JD Shapiro M, Haile M, Bekker A. Premedication with intravenous ibuprofen improves recovery characteristics and stress response in adults undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial. Pain Medicine 2016, 17:1163?73.

Li J, Xiong M, Nadavaluru P, Zuo W, Ye, J-H, Eloy D, Bekker A. Dexmedetomidine attenuates neurotoxicity induced by prenatal propofol exposure. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2016, 28:51- 64.

Xiong M, Zhang L, Li J, Eloy J, Ye JH, Bekker A. Propofol-induced neurotoxicity in the fetal animal brain and developments in modifying these effects ? an updated review of propofol fetal exposure in laboratory animal studies. Brain Sci 2016, 6:11.

Xiong M, Li J, Alhashem H, Tilak V, Patel A, Pisklakov S, Siegel A, Hong J, Bekker A. Propofol exposure in pregnant rats induces neurotoxicity and persistent learning deficit in the offspring. Brain Sci 2014, 4:356-75.

Lutz B, Bekker A, Tao Y-X. Noncoding RNAs: New players in chronic pain. Anesthesiology 2014, 121:149-57.

Bekker A, Haile M, Kline R, Didehvar S, Babu R, Martiniuk F, Urban M. The Effect of intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine on quality of recovery after Major Spinal Surgery. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2013, 25:16-24.

Areas Of Interest

Acute Pain

Clinical Pharmacology

Effects of surgery and anesthesia on CNS

Neuroanesthesia

Pilot study on the effects of intravenous ibuprofen on inflammatory responses in
patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Correlation with clinical outcomes.




Postoperative cognitive changes

Neurotoxicity of Anesthetics



Surgery and inflammatory responses

Brain Function Monitoring

Medicinal Marijuana