Membrane Potential

Question

Hyperpolarization refers to a/an ___________ (increase, decrease) in the magnitude of the membrane potential relative to the resting potential.

Answer 1

Depolarization will cause a cell membrane to become increasingly positive (in terms of mV) and a repolarization will reflect a cell membrane returning to it's resting potential - the hyperpolarization can be thought of as the result of an overshoot in depolarization where the membrane potential decreases beyond resting potential, so the hyperpolarization is an increase in membrane potential to get the membrane back to resting potential.