Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 84.5 (May 2016): 415-426. Attentional inhibitory deficits expressed as difficulty ignoring irrelevant stimuli in the pursuit of goal-directed behavior may serve as a fundamental mechanism of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Evidence of inhibitory processes as central to extinction suggests that exposure-based treatments may act more directly on the inhibitory deficits implicated in PTSD, whereas, in facilitating serotonergic neurotransmission, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be less direct and bring about general neurochemical changes in the fear circuitry. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details