Marilyn Long, left, helps her brother, Jeff Malanoski who has Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease, in their Elk Grove Village, Ill. home. The NIH is setting aside additional funds to study the chromosomal disorder. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

The National Institutes of Health said it will award $35 million in additional grants for the 2019 fiscal year, bringing the agency’s total spending on Down syndrome research to $77 million – almost double its output in fiscal year 2018. The money will support research into areas including genetics and health conditions common to those with Down syndrome.