The impact of depression on self-perception of memory has been well documented in a variety of populations. We examined the relationship between metamemory (defined as awareness of memory capacities and deficits), actual memory performance, depression, and laterality of epileptogenic focus in surgical candidates with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) (N = 151) and with healthy controls (N = 63). Compared to healthy controls, presurgical TLE patients reported more difficulties in memory on self-rating and activities of daily living rating scales, performed worse on tests of memory, and were less accurate in self-perception of memory capacity when compared to actual test performance. Patients reported more depression than controls, but there were no differences in level of depression or accuracy of metamemory between right and left TLE patients. Presurgical TLE patients who were depressed reported more memory impairment and underestimated their memory, but did not differ in actual memory performance. Results suggest that depression plays an important role in self-perceived memory impairment in patients with refractory TLE.
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