 The cause of cerebellar abiotrophy is not known, but it is thought to be due to an intrinsic metabolic defect.In most cases, the Purkinje neurons begin to die off shortly after the animal is born and the condition is noticeable when the animal is less than six months old, though sometimes the onset of symptoms is gradual and the animal is much older before the owner or caretaker notices a problem.Cerebellar abiotrophy cannot be prevented, other than by selective breeding to avoid the gene, and it cannot be cured.