The relationship between limbic evoked potentials (LEPs) and memory performance was investigated in eight patients with intractable epilepsy who were candidates for temporal lobectomy. No relationship between the presence or absence of unilateral LEP and memory deficits was present. However, in both patients with bilaterally poorly developed hippocampal LEPs, verbal and visual-spatial memory tasks were impaired. In one patient with well developed LEPs bilaterally, memory function was normal. These data suggest that LEPs may assist in the evaluation of memory function during the preoperative work-up for temporal lobectomy.