In our continuous attempts to model natural intelligence and emotions in machine learning many research works emerge with different methods that are often driven by engineering concerns and have the common goal of modeling human perception in machines This paper aims to go further in that direction by investigating the integration of emotion at the structural level of cognitive systems using the novel emotional DuoNeural Network (DuoNN) This network has hidden layer DuoNeurons where each has two embedded neurons a dorsal neuron and a ventral neuron for cognitive and emotional data processing respectively When input visual stimuli are presented to the DuoNN the dorsal cognitive neurons process local features while the ventral emotional neurons process the entire pattern We present the computational model and the learning algorithm of the DuoNN the input information - cognitive and emotional - parallel streaming method and a comparison between the DuoNN and a recently developed emotional neural network Experimental results show that the DuoNN architecture configuration and the additional emotional information processing yield higher recognition rates and faster learning and decision making (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved