Using a smartphone app to help individuals with Down syndrome remember personal experiences better.
Official title: Use of a digital memory prosthetic to support autobiographical memory in down syndrome
Funded at Boston College · NIH-10790310 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a smartphone app called HippoCamera to help people with Down syndrome remember their daily experiences better, making it easier for them to recall important moments and improve their overall happiness and independence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chestnut Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $195,625 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD114263-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10790310 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children and young adults with Down syndrome who experience difficulties with autobiographical memory.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Down syndrome or those who do not have significant memory challenges may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the use of a smartphone application called HippoCamera to support individuals with Down syndrome in enhancing their autobiographical memory. Participants will use the app to record and replay daily events, which is designed to help them remember specific details from their past. The app employs a research-based algorithm to optimize the consolidation of these memories, potentially improving the quality of life and independence for users. The study aims to address the common memory challenges faced by individuals with Down syndrome, which can lead to increased anxiety and depression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the ability of individuals with Down syndrome to recall personal memories, enhancing their social interactions and emotional well-being.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of digital tools for memory enhancement is a growing field, this specific approach using a smartphone app for individuals with Down syndrome is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ford, Jaclyn Hennessey — Boston College
- Study coordinator: Ford, Jaclyn Hennessey
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Exploring how Down syndrome affects optic nerve health in kids
A study using a mouse model to understand why optic nerve problems are common in children with Down syndrome and how to prevent them.
-
Executive Function Enhancement for Young Children with Down Syndrome
A caregiver-guided program for kids with Down syndrome aged up to 11 to strengthen their thinking skills during early childhood.
-
Silencing an Extra Chromosome to Help Down Syndrome and Related Conditions
A patient-friendly plan to use a gene-based approach to quiet an extra chromosome in cells and a mouse model to reduce disease-related effects in Down syndrome and other chromosomal imbalance disorders.
-
Infant Down Syndrome Brain and Behavior Study
A study of infants with Down syndrome to collect brain imaging and developmental data, creating a large, shared resource to understand how autism and other factors relate to development.
-
DS-ARC: Smartphone-based cognitive check for people with Down syndrome at risk for Alzheimer’s
A smartphone-based cognitive test is being developed and tested for people with Down syndrome who may develop Alzheimer’s disease, to track changes quietly in daily life.
-
Immune and NGF factors in Alzheimer’s for adults with Down syndrome
This grant studies why people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer’s disease by looking at immune signals and nerve growth factor problems.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.