Health & Living

Brain Waves #18: Neurogenesis

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Brain cell formation or neurogenesis is said to continue to happen throughout life. It is on this basis that we are encouraged to exercise to make new...

Brain Waves #23: Damaged Nerves

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar returns with the latest on peripheral neuropathies, which affect the motor and sensory nerves. Joining her in this month’...

Brain Waves #25: Neurofibromatosis

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

May is Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month. Joining neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar on her monthly Brain Waves segment is Noraini Manan, who is a...

Brain Waves #26: Young Blood, New Brain

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers in Stanford have shown that introducing young blood from young mice into old mice increases the cognitive abilities and synaptic connectiv...

Brain Waves #24: The Second Brain

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The gut is often considered the second brain. Fresh off the panel session about gut health in BFM's Health & Living Live event, neurogeneticist Dr...

Brain Waves #22: Spotlight on Rare Disease

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

International Rare Disease Day falls on the last day of February each year. So, joining resident neuroscientist and geneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar ...

Brain Waves #21: The Importance of Sleep

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most common New Year's resolutions is to get more sleep. For the first show of the new year, neuroscientist and geneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad ...

Brain Waves #20: Brain Atlas

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Resident neuroscientist and geneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar wraps up the year with the latest in brain science by introducing us to yet another newl...

Brain Waves #19: What We Learn From Animals

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Studies with animals to look at learning and memory have led to Nobel Prizes. One of the more recent ones was the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Me...

Brain Waves #15: Super-Ager

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

All humans experience some cognitive decline as they age but how is it that some people in their 80s and beyond still have memory capacity of those 30...

Brain Waves #17: Exergaming

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On Brain Waves this month, Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar is joined by Dr Maziah Mat Rosly to discuss exergaming. Dr Maziah been working on the exergaming stu...

Brain Waves #13: Brain Awareness Week

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Brain Awareness Week is typically observed on the third week of March. As part of this global campaign, neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar discuss...

Brain Waves #14: Jumping Genes

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nature versus nurture: The perennial debate on whether the genes or the environment matter more in a person’s characteristics. But a new study b...

Brain Waves #16: The Dishonest Brain

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Why do people lie? And what makes a good liar? A recent study says that there may be a biological reason to that. The paper, published in Nature Neuro...

Brain Waves #12: DNA 101

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What are genes? What really is DNA? Genetics is not as straightforward as some people think. Neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar brings us back to ...

Brain Waves #14: Jumping Genes

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nature versus nurture: The perennial debate on whether the genes or the environment matter more in a person’s characteristics. But a new study b...

Brain Waves #11: Glial Cells

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Glial cells were once dismissed as mere structural support for neurons, but we now know that these group of cells do a lot more than that, thanks to t...

Brain Waves #8: Genome Editing

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the eight installment of Brain Waves, neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar explains genome editing and what it means in terms of our future healt...

Brain Waves #8: Genome Editing

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the eight installment of Brain Waves, neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar explains genome editing and what it means in terms of our future healt...

Brain Waves #10: Brain Myths

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Do most humans only use 10 percent of their brains? Is there such as a thing being left-brained and right-brained? To round up the year in neuroscienc...

Brain Waves #7: Jeans for Genes

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For our seventh Brain Waves show, we bring light to genetic disorders, including Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase, a neurological disorder caused by ...

Brain Waves #9: Memory Editing

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This month on Brain Waves, Neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar shares how scientists are planning to edit memories and delete bad ones that trigger...

Brain Waves #5: Intelligence Genes

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you wondered what makes you intelligent (or not)? Scientists do, and they have been screening thousands of genes to pinpoint which makes us smart...

Brain Waves #7: Jeans for Genes

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For our seventh Brain Waves show, we bring light to genetic disorders, including Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase, a neurological disorder caused by ...

Brain Waves #6: Caring for Dementia

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As aging chips away our mental performance, the loss can be severe enough to develop into dementia and disrupt normal living. Eventually, dementia pat...

Brain Waves #4: Fidgeting and Fasting

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This month on Brain Waves, Neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar examines the claim that the fidget spinner is good for ADHD, anxiety and autism. And...

Brain Waves #3: Spatial Awareness

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Before there were GPS apps, we had to actively remember routes and landmarks to move around. How did we do it, and have we lost the skill? Neurogeneti...

Brain Waves #3: Spatial Awareness

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Before there were GPS apps, we had to actively remember routes and landmarks to move around. How did we do it, and have we lost the skill? Neurogeneti...

Brain Waves #2: Don't Look Into the Light

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us are guilty of it - using laptops, smartphones, or tablets before we sleep. For some of us, it’s even become a daily routine, or even ...

Brain Waves #1: Neuro-’jean’-etics

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Neurons play a crucial role in how we move, behave, and essentially, how we live. And genes play a big role in neurological functions - and disorders....

Big Data and the Future of Healthcare

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

IR4.0 and big data are the buzzwords of the day, but what is their role in the healthcare sector? There’s tremendous potential for data analytic...

Ask A Psychologist #8: Mental Health Clinic

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We return with our monthly mental health clinic with consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan. On this segment, we address your concerns rega...

Pain in Orthopaedics

03 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There is a lot of fear and anxiety over the pain caused by orthopaedic surgeries like knee or hip replacement procedures. How much has improved in the...

Doctor in the House: Traumatic Head Injuries in Children

30 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Road accidents are the leading cause of...

Merdeka 2019: Unsung Heroes in Healthcare

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With Merdeka Day around the corner, we celebrate the unsung heroes of the healthcare system. We shine the spotlight on a few professions that play a c...

Merdeka 2019: Unsung Heroes in Healthcare

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With Merdeka Day around the corner, we celebrate the unsung heroes of the healthcare system. We shine the spotlight on a few professions that play a c...

Brain Waves #28: What Makes Us Human?

28 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, we heard about the news that scientists have developed chimpanzee-human chimaeras. On this month’s edition of Brain Waves, neurogeneti...

Lower Limb Deformities in Children

27 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How do conditions like bow-leggedness and knock-knees affect children’s growth? Dr Roshan Gunalan, Consultant Paediatric Orthopedic Surgeon from...

Lower Limb Deformities in Children

27 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How do conditions like bow-leggedness and knock-knees affect children’s growth? Dr Roshan Gunalan, Consultant Paediatric Orthopedic Surgeon from...

To Screen Or Not To Screen

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Screening tests are typically given to people who are seemingly fit to detect unnoticed health problems. They come in many forms including blood and u...

To Screen Or Not To Screen

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Screening tests are typically given to people who are seemingly fit to detect unnoticed health problems. They come in many forms including blood and u...

To Screen Or Not To Screen

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Screening tests are typically given to people who are seemingly fit to detect unnoticed health problems. They come in many forms including blood and u...

Doctor in the House: Menopause - Ovary Important Issue

23 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Menopause is part and parcel of ageing ...

Teaching Children Safety Awareness

22 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As parents, we do our best to keep our children safe but what happens when they find themselves in potentially dangerous situations? How do we teach t...

Be Fit Malaysians #14: Endurance – The Great Equaliser?

21 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This month, German cyclist Fiona Kolbinger became the first woman to win the Transcontinental Race after spending more than 10 days over some of Europ...

Be Fit Malaysians #14: Endurance – The Great Equaliser?

21 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This month, German cyclist Fiona Kolbinger became the first woman to win the Transcontinental Race after spending more than 10 days over some of Europ...

Ask A Doctor #6: The Mouth

20 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We are back for our monthly open clinic segment, where we get our doctors to address your health concerns. On today’s show, Dr Noraini Alwi, Pre...

Multiple Sclerosis

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The signs are not always obvious, the cause, unknown. Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be difficult to confirm but it is the most common autoimmune disorde...

Treating Congenital Heart Disease in Children

15 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Congenital heart disease is the most common among all types of birth defects. It is usually diagnosed in infancy, though it is possible for it to rema...

Public Health #21: The Future of Nursing

14 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When you go to a clinic or a hospital for medical care, you interact more with the nurses than with the doctors. Nurses are the ones on the frontlines...

Living With Dementia

13 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2018 found that one in 10 elderly people in Malaysia could be living with dementia. How does dementia affect ...

Doctor in the House: Advances in Prostate Cancer Treatment

09 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Prostate cancer is the fifth most commo...

We Need To Talk About Ebola

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One year into the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is still not under control. In fact, it is continuing to spread geographicall...

Doctor in the House: Where Are The Neurosurgeons?

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. At the recent World Federation of Neuro...

Early Detection of Gut Problems

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to our health, the gut gets a lot less attention compared to the heart. However, gastrointestinal conditions can be very debilitating in...

Human Jigsaw Puzzle

06 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Spanish national footballer Santi Cazorla is a case for the medical textbooks: after suffering numerous knee and ankle injuries, as well as a mysterio...

Insta-Therapy or Insta-Psychoeducation

05 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Licensed therapists are now using social media platforms like Instagram to offer support to their followers. What are the pitfalls and ethical conside...

Doctor in the House: How Sick Is Our Population?

02 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Prof Dr Sanjay Rampal, Epidemiologist f...

Psychiatry Series: Call Befrienders For Free

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From today, you can call Befrienders KL for free whenever you need emotional support. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ha...

Psychiatry Series: Call Befrienders For Free

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From today, you can call Befrienders KL for free whenever you need emotional support. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ha...

Psychiatry Series: Call Befrienders For Free

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From today, you can call Befrienders KL for free whenever you need emotional support. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ha...

Studying Twins

31 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The results of twin studies can shed light on a variety of subjects from medical disorders to what influences particular behaviours. The University of...

Doctor in the House: World Hepatitis Day – Better Screening and Treatment

26 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. The Ministry of Health’s free nat...

Teaching Children About Safe Touch

25 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this month, it was reported that a 12-year-old boy in Malaysia had allegedly raped a four-year-old girl. The police said that he had been expo...

Be Fit Malaysians #13: Powerlifting

24 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this year, national para-athlete Bonnie Bunyau Gustin lifted 207kg in the Men's 65kg category at the Nur-Sultan 2019 World Para Powerlifting C...

Men's Health: Challenges and Attitudes

23 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Men generally have shorter life expectancy, compared to women. Why do men seem to be unhealthier? And how do our societal and cultural values influenc...

Embryology 101

22 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Every year on July 25th, the reproductive medicine community observes World Embryologist Day. On the same day in 1978, the world's first IVF baby was ...

Doctor in the House: Stopping the Spread of Rabies

20 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Since the rabies epidemic was declared ...

Keeping Dementia At Bay

18 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In May, the World Health Organisation launched its first ever guidelines on how people can reduce the risk of dementia. So what are the steps that we ...

Memory Issues in the Elderly

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you interact with an elderly person regularly, you might notice that most of them have difficulty remembering things and we often brush this off as...

Doctor in the House: Our Doctors Are Miserable

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. World Suicide Prevention Day was observ...

Psychiatry Series: Body Image and Eating Disorders

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Eating disorders are not about food, greed or hunger. They are complex psychological conditions, tied to our cultural notions about body image and hea...

Psychiatry Series: Women and Mental Health Issues

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Women experience mental health issues very differently compared to men. Is it related to the cliche that women are “more emotional” than m...

Psychiatry Series: Substance-Related Addictions

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, it was reported that three mosques in Penang are set to run what will be the world’s first opioid addiction treatment clinics to use ...

Antidepressants Proven to be Effective

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There has always been some doubt in the scientific literature regarding the efficacy of antidepressants in treating major depressive disorder. However...

Attention Deficit Disorder

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How does one determine if hyperactivity and lack of focus is merely that, or a sign that one may have attention deficit disorder? How does ADD present...

Psychiatry Series: The Interface between Psychiatry and Physical Illnesses

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Psychiatric services in cancer management, palliative care and post-surgery physiotherapy - to name a few - make up part of the health care ecosystem&...

Ask A Doctor #5: The Eye

16 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We are back for our monthly open clinic segment, where we get our doctors to address your health concerns. On today’s show, consultant ophthalmo...

Medications During Hajj

16 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For Muslims preparing for hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage, ensuring that you remain in good health is a crucial part of that journey. But for thos...

Doctor in the House: The Good Doctor

13 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. What makes a good doctor? If you ask a ...

Brain Waves #27: Spinal Muscular Atrophy

11 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. Joining neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar for ...

Back Pain and Spinal Problems

09 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Almost everyone has suffered back pain at some point in their lives. According to The Lancet journal, disability due to back pain has risen by more th...

Why is Dengue Still a Problem?

08 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dengue continues to be a serious problem in Malaysia. In the first half of this year (Jan-May 2019), we had more than 46,000 dengue cases, with 74 dea...

Psychiatry Series: Community Advocates

04 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We often discuss mental health through a purely medical lens, focusing on treatment and therapies. But when you take the healthcare system out of the ...

Psychiatry Series: Community Advocates

04 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We often discuss mental health through a purely medical lens, focusing on treatment and therapies. But when you take the healthcare system out of the ...

Ask A Psychologist #7: Mental Health Clinic

03 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We return with our monthly mental health clinic with consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan. On this segment, we address your concerns rega...

Is Modern Life Changing Our Skeleton?

02 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Could young people be developing horns in the back of their skulls due to their posture from too much smartphone use? This sensational headline has be...

Stunting in Malaysian Children

01 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Adequate nutrition during childhood is particularly important to ensure proper growth. But how many Malaysian children are not getting the nutrients t...

Doctor in the House: Financial Planning After A Stroke

28 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Recovering from a stroke can be a long journey, and addressing the temporary or permanent disabilities that are caused by strokes can result in financ...

GPs: The Backbone of Healthcare

27 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

GP private clinics are among the most vital SMEs in our healthcare system, but how do they survive in this current competitive climate? In conjunction...

Be Fit Malaysians #12: Stem Cells for Cartilage Repair

26 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Damage and degeneration of the cartilage can cause excruciating pain and diminish your quality of life, especially when it occurs in the knee. But ste...

Understanding the National Health & Morbidity Survey

25 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The National Health & Morbidity Survey 2019 (NHMS 2019) is being conducted between April and September. This is a national survey that provides da...

How To Look After A Women’s Heart

24 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in Malaysia, and statistics are higher for men compared to women. But the incidence of heart disease in wome...

Doctor in the House: Improving Primary Healthcare in Malaysia

21 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Last week, the Ministry of Health held ...

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

20 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us think of the brain when we talk about aneurysms, but it can occur along any of our arteries, including the aorta. Being the main blood vess...

Psychiatry Series: Substance-Related Addictions

19 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, it was reported that three mosques in Penang are set to run what will be the world’s first opioid addiction treatment clinics to use ...

Ask A Doctor #4: Your Digestive System

18 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We are back for our monthly open clinic segment, where we get our doctors to address your health concerns. On today’s show, consultant gastroent...

Clearing the Air on Vaping

17 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Many Malaysians have picked up the habit of vaping, whether due to its trendiness or as a method to kick their smoking habits. But how much do we real...

Doctor in the House: Father’s Day – From Boys to Men

14 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. We’re celebrating Father’s ...

Brain Waves #26: Young Blood, New Brain

13 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers in Stanford have shown that introducing young blood from young mice into old mice increases the cognitive abilities and synaptic connectiv...