Metamemory in temporal lobe epilepsy: self-monitoring of memory functions.

Temporal lobe seizure patients and control subjects participated in an investigation of metamemory. The two-part study explored the individual's perception of memory abilities for both encoding and retrieval. Experiment I addressed self-monitoring of encoding through a study of prediction of memory span. Experiment II explored self-monitoring of retrieval through a study of "Feeling of Knowing." The results indicate that left and right temporal lobe seizure patients tend to overestimate their memory capacities, in comparison with normal controls, and that self-monitoring tends to be less accurate for material (verbal or nonverbal) mediated by side of lesion. The potential impact of inaccurate memory monitoring on the memory dysfunction observed in seizure patients is discussed.