Objective:To explore the characteristics of emotion cognitive processing and cognitive regulation in alexithymia.Methods:A total of 117 alexithymic subjects(TAS-20 scores ≥58)and 118 nonalexithymic subjects(TAS-20 scores ≤38)were selected with the Chinese version of 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS-20),and their scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale(CES-D)and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire CERQ were compared.Then 51 alexithymic subjects and 54 nonalexithymic subjects were required to rate 120 affective pictures to three dimensions(valence,arousal and dominant).Results:(1)Compared with nonalexithymic group,alexithymic group got higher scores in negative coping dimension[(47.3±5.9) vs.(41.9±5.9),P0.001],while got lower scores in positive coping [(65.2±7.7) vs.(71.1±7.3),P0.001].(2)In valence rating,alexithymic group gave lower score for positive pictures[(7.0±1.0) vs.(7.7±1.0),P0.001]and higher score for negative pictures [(2.4±1.0) vs.(1.4±1.0),P0.001]than nonalexithymic group.In arousal dimension,alexithymic group gave lower scores to both positive pictures and negative pictures than nonalexithymic group[(6.3±1.2) vs.(6.8±1.1),(6.4±1.5) vs.(7.2±1.4);P0.01].Conclusion:Alexithymia subjects have deficits in emotion cognitive processing and emotion cognitive regulation.