Abstract: Considerable studies reported gender differences in emotional processing, which was mainly manifested by the female advantage in emotion recognition and emotional memory, and by the increased susceptibility of women to negative emotions. Moreover, gender differences in emotional processing are also embodied by differences in emotion regulation. Despite better performance in response inhibition, females are worse than males in regulating unpleasant emotions using cognitive strategies. In addition, emotion regulation in women is characterized by emotional focused strategies, while that in men is characterized by cognitive-focused strategies. Gender differences in emotional processing have important biological bases, such as differences in emotion-related brain structures and in hormonal level variations across genders. The gender differences in emotional processing are associated with the gender-related prevalence of affective disturbances. Enhanced susceptibility to negative emotions and reduced competence in unpleasant emotion regulation may be important mechanisms underlying the females’ prevalence in affective disorders. Thus, investigating gender- related prevalence of affective disorders from the perspective of the gender impact on emotion processing, is of particular significance to the precaution and treatment of affective disturbances

Key words: emotional processing, gender differences, neural mechanisms