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Center for Retina and Brain (CRAB)

At the Center for Retina and Brain (CRAB), we study the ways that changes in the brain from aging, disease, and injury affect the eye, and whether eye measurements can help us screen for, and understand, changes in the brain. Our hope is that learning about these changes will allow us to provide better screening, diagnostic, and predictive tools to help people with a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. 

About Us

We are located in the Department of Psychiatry, and we collaborate with teams across the university and study a wide range of psychological and medical conditions. Learn more about our current research projects

Our collaborators include faculty from Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, Radiology, Cardiology, and the Institute for Data Science.  Read more about our personnel and opportunities to join our team

Interested in Participating in our Research?

Contact Us

 

Women having an eye exam
Electroretinography (ERG)
 

Feasibility Study: 
ERG Components to  Distinguish 
Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder 

To determine if patterns of retinal functioning  are different in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

eye scan macular cube image
Superficial retinal vascular layer as imaged by optical coherence tomography angiography

Retinal Vasculopathy as a Proxy for Cerebral Vascular Health 

 

Evaluating changes in retinal microvasculature as a biomarker of changes in cerebral blood flow and cognition in heart failure patients.

eye scan of side view of eye
Retinal layers at the macula as imaged by optical coherence tomography.

Retinal Biomarkers of Concussive and Subconcussive 
Head Injury

Measuring retinal structure and function along with brain imaging to investigate early signs of central nervous system changes due to football-related head impacts can be observed.

View All Research Projects

 

Research Team

Silverstein

Steven Silverstein, PhD
Professor, Psychiatry

Judy Thompson

Judy L. Thompson, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Brian Keane

Brian Keane, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Joy Choi

Joy Choi, MD
Senior Instructor, Psychiatry

Rajeev S. Ramchandran

Rajeev S. Ramchandran, MD, MBA
Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Joy Choi

Iwona Grzela-Juskiewicz, MD, MPH
Health Project Coordinator

 

View All Research Team Members

 

Recent Publications​​

Silverstein, S.M., Keane, B.P., & Corlett, P.R. (2021). Oculomics in schizophrenia research.Schizophrenia Bulletin, 47, 57-59.
https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbab011

Silverstein, S.M., & Lai, A. (2021). The phenomenology and neurobiology of visual distortions and hallucinations in schizophrenia: An update.  Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 684720. 
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.684720

Silverstein, S.M., Lai, A., Green, K., Crosta, C., Fradkin, S.I., & Ramchandran, R. (2021). Retinal microvasculature schizophrenia. Eye and Brain, 13, 205-217.
https://doi.org/10.2147/EB.S317186

Silverstein, S.M., Sörensen, S., Sunkara, A., Lai, A., Fradkin, S.I., Ramchandran, R.S.  (2021). Association of vision loss and depressive symptomatology in older adults assessed for ocular health in senior living facilities. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics.
https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.12869

Silverstein, S.M., Fradkin, S.I., & Demmin, D.L. (2020). Schizophrenia and the retina: Towards a 2020 perspective.  
Schizophrenia Research, 219, 84-94.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2019.09.016

Lai, A., Crosta, C., Loftin, M., & Silverstein, S.M.  (2020). Retinal structural alterations in first episode vs. chronic schizophrenia.  Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatry, 2, 100013.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bionps.2020.100013

Silverstein, S.M., Demmin, D.L., Schallek, J.B., & Fradkin, S.I. (2020). Measures of retinal structure and function as biomarkers in neurology and psychiatry. Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatry, 2, 100018.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bionps.2020.100018

Silverstein, S.M., Seitz, A.R., Ahmed, A.O., Thompson, J.L., Zemon, V., Gara, M., & Butler, P.D. (2020). Development and evaluation of a visual remediation intervention for people with schizophrenia.Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Science, 5, e200017.
https://doi.org/10.20900/jpbs.20200017

 

View Full List of Publications (2020-present)

Contact Us

Center for Retina and Brain (CRAB)

University of Rochester Medical Center
300 Crittenden Boulevard
Rochester, NY, 14642
Center for Retina and Brain

Open Positions
Senior Instructor - Licensed Clinical Psychologist

women patient smiling getting set up with testing machine by another person