▁and ▁sod ium ▁val pro ate . ▁Cl on az ep am ▁functions ▁by ▁increasing ▁G AB A ▁activity ▁at ▁the ▁G AB AA ▁re ceptor . ▁G AB A ▁is ▁an ▁in hib itory ▁ne uro trans mit ter , ▁and ▁therefore ▁its ▁increased ▁activity ▁hyper pol ar izes ▁cells . ▁Cl on az ep am ▁has ▁been ▁effective ▁in ▁minim ising ▁se iz ure ▁activity , ▁especially ▁during ▁pub ert y . ▁S od ium ▁val pro ate ▁prevents ▁the ▁dep olar ization ▁of ▁the ▁cell ▁by ▁blocking ▁sod ium ▁ion ▁channels ▁and ▁in hib itory ▁G AB A ▁en zym es . ▁Both ▁of ▁these ▁ant icon v uls ants ▁lead ▁to ▁de pression ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁nerv ous ▁system . ▁ ▁Pro gn osis ▁ ▁Life ▁expect ancy ▁is ▁only ▁moder ately ▁affected ▁by ▁NE ▁because ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁disease ▁pro gression ▁is ▁slow . ▁Pat ients ▁usually ▁surv ive ▁past ▁ 4 0 – 5 0 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁ ▁History ▁Northern ▁ep ile ps y ▁origin ated ▁in ▁northern ▁Finland , ▁and ▁it ▁still ▁appears ▁to ▁only ▁affect ▁individuals ▁of ▁Finn ish ▁ancest ry . ▁ 1 ▁in ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁individuals ▁who ▁live ▁or ▁are ▁from ▁the ▁region ▁of ▁K ain u u ▁in ▁northern ▁Finland ▁have ▁the ▁condition . ▁ ▁Northern ▁ep ile ps y ▁was ▁not ▁initially ▁recognized ▁as ▁a ▁Ne ur onal ▁c ero id ▁lip of usc inos is ▁( N CL ). ▁In ▁ 1 9