Published on: Feb 19, 2026
As a child, Stefano Tarantini, watched his grandmother gradually lose her independence to cognitive decline. At the same time, he became intrigued by the medical terms surrounding her care words like ischemia and abnormal vascular function. Those early experiences inspired him to pursue a career in research focused on the brain’s blood supply system.
Today, Tarantini serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, where his laboratory investigates how changes in the cerebrovascular system contribute to age-related cognitive decline. With dementia projected to rise sharply as more than 30% of the population is expected to be over 65 in the coming decades, his work aims to uncover the cellular mechanisms driving cognitive impairment and ultimately to delay or prevent it.
His research has been supported for years by the American Heart Association, which funds not only cardiovascular research but also studies of the brain’s vascular health. This backing has helped him secure additional grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Early in his career, Tarantini studied how hypertension and aging contribute to micro-hemorrhages—tiny brain bleeds linked to cognitive decline. Later, he expanded his focus to factors such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a molecule that declines with age and plays a critical role in maintaining vascular integrity.
Now leading his own lab, he is exploring lifestyle-based interventions that may slow cognitive decline. His team is studying capsaicin the active compound in chili peppers for its potential to counteract vascular damage associated with high-fat diets and to protect cognitive function. He also holds an adjunct position in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Oklahoma, reflecting his interest in diet-based strategies.
Additional projects examine the impact of oxidized LDL (“bad” cholesterol) on brain health, particularly in the context of chronic age-related inflammation, sometimes referred to as “inflammaging.” His lab is also investigating intermittent fasting, which may promote cellular repair processes and ketone production both potentially beneficial for cognitive resilience.
Although each research line targets a different biological pathway, they share a unified goal: safeguarding the aging brain by preserving the health and function of its blood vessels.
Source: https://ou.edu/news/articles/2026/february/scientists-mission-prevent-cognitive-decline
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