We tend to think of intelligence as something that happens inside a skull - neurons firing, synapses connecting, and thoughts emerging.
But fungi don’t have brains. No neurons and no central nervous system. Yet they behave as if they think.
Mycelium - the underground network of fine, thread-like filaments that make up most of a fungus - can solve problems, navigate complex terrain, and adapt to new conditions with remarkable efficiency.
And it’s changing how scientists define intelligence itself.
The Science of Fungal Intelligence
Researchers have observed mycelial networks “mapping” environments, redistributing nutrients where they’re needed most, and even finding the shortest path between resources. All without a brain!
In 2022, scientists at the University of the West of England recorded electrical impulses running through fungal networks in patterns resembling neural activity. When conditions changed - temperature, humidity, nutrients - the impulse patterns changed too.
This suggests fungi process information through electrical signalling and chemical feedback, a kind of distributed intelligence that doesn’t rely on a central organ. It’s intelligence as a system, not a self.
The Mycelial Model of the Brain
The parallels with human neuroscience are striking.
Our brains aren’t top-down hierarchies either. They’re networks of billions of neurons constantly adapting to feedback - forming, pruning, and reinforcing connections. That process is called neuroplasticity, and it’s what allows us to learn, heal, and evolve.
Fungal networks show that intelligence arises from connection and communication, not command and control. It’s a biological reminder that success isn’t about central power. It’s about how efficiently information flows through a system.
From Mycelium to Mind: Functional Mushrooms and Brain Health
This isn’t just metaphorical. Some mushrooms actually support the processes that keep the brain adaptive and resilient.
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Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) promotes neurogenesis - the growth and repair of neurons - by stimulating Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). That makes it one of the most promising natural supplements for cognitive health and memory.
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Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) helps regulate the stress response and reduce neuroinflammation, creating the calm physiological state needed for optimal brain function.
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Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) enhances mitochondrial energy production, improving mental stamina and focus at the cellular level.
Together, these mushrooms support the same qualities we see in fungal networks: connectivity, adaptability, and efficient energy use.
A New Way of Thinking About Intelligence
Fungal intelligence challenges the idea that thinking is something humans own. Instead, it’s something nature does.
By studying how mycelium learns and adapts, scientists are beginning to see intelligence as an emergent property of connection - a phenomenon that can appear anywhere information flows freely.
And for us, that means supporting the health of our own internal networks (our neurons, mitochondria, and microbiome) might be the key to thinking more clearly, ageing more gracefully, and feeling more alive.
Conclusion
The next frontier of neuroscience might not be silicon chips or brain implants. It might be the soil beneath our feet and the organisms hidden there.
Fungi show us that intelligence is not a possession but a pattern. And it's one that runs through the entire living world.
When we nourish that pattern in ourselves - through rest, nutrition, connection, and the right support - we align with the same natural intelligence that built forests, healed ecosystems, and maybe, just maybe, thought first.
Explore Mushies’ range of functional mushrooms here and support your brain’s natural intelligence the fungal way. 🍄
Much of this article is based on the fascinating book Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake.
