This questions of regarding my 71 year old mother. What are the possible causes of being easily startled in even simple situations like her calling someone and being startled when the person she calls says "hello"? On a more serious level, she was recently in a car accident because someone passed her and startled her. Other issues that have developed along side being easily started are memory issues and imbalance. All of these have progressed from pretty normal to moderate (getting worse daily) issues within about 6 or 9 months. I think these symptoms may have corresponded with a new anxiety and mood stabalizing medication she is on. She has also been under extreme, almost debilitating stress with the death of her sister and taking on her adult somewhat dependent nephew and my father who has severe heart problems and constant appointments, medications etc. to keep up with. Alzheimers is a first thought but I'm hoping for medication side effects and stress related issues. She has always had anxiety and mild mood disorders. Other probably unrelated symptoms which started earlier are non essential tremors which she had probably a year before these other issues started.