The use of intermittent catheterization to empty the bladder at regular intervals throughout the day has decreased the mortality due to kidney failure from UTI in the first world, but it is still a serious problem in developing countries.An estimated 24–45% of people with SCI have disorders of depression, and the suicide rate is as much as six times that of the rest of the population. The risk of suicide is worst in the first five years after injury. In young people with SCI, suicide is the leading cause of death. Depression is associated with an increased risk of other complications such as UTI and pressure ulcers that occur more when self-care is neglected. Causes
Spinal cord injuries are most often caused by physical trauma. Forces involved can be hyperflexion (forward movement of the head); hyperextension (backward movement); lateral stress (sideways movement); rotation (twisting of the head); compression (force along the axis of the spine downward from the head or upward from the pelvis); or distraction (pulling apart of the vertebrae). Traumatic SCI can result in contusion, compression, or stretch injury. It is a major risk of many types of vertebral fracture. Pre-existing asymptomatic congenital anomalies can cause major neurological deficits, such as hemiparesis, to result from otherwise minor trauma.In the US, Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of SCIs; second are falls, then violence such as gunshot wounds, then sports injuries.
Spinal muscular atrophy with progressive myoclonic epilepsy (SMA-PME), sometimes called Jankovic–Rivera syndrome, is a very rare neurodegenerative disease whose symptoms include slowly progressive muscle (atrophy), predominantly affecting proximal muscles, combined with denervation and myoclonic seizures. Only 12 known human families are described in scientific literature to have SMA-PME.SMA-PME is associated with a missense mutation (c.125C→T) or deletion in exon 2 of the ASAH1 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. SMA-PME is closely related to a lysosomal disorder disease called Farber lipogranulomatosis. As with many genetic disorders, there is no known cure for SMA-PME. The condition was first described in 1979 by American researchers Joseph Jankovic and Victor M. Rivera. ASAH1 gene
The ASAH1 gene codes for acid ceramidase, an enzyme found in lysosomes. The lysosome breaks down acid ceramidase; the fatty acid component  is then used to produce myelin. Myelin is an insulating coating around the neurons in the body which helps to contain bioelectrical signals along a nerve cells axon and increase transmission rate. In patients with SMA-PME, the ceramidase function decreases to 33.33% effective. The lack of myelin resulting from the lack of acid ceramidase breakdown leads to nerve cell dysfunction. See also
Spinal muscular atrophies
Progressive myoclonus epilepsy

References
Further reading
National Institutes of Health (December 2013). "Genetics Home Reference: Spinal muscular atrophy with progressive myoclonic epilepsy". == External links ==