Immune control by the autonomic nervous system: Towards clinical implementation of enriched enteral nutrition

Implementation of enriched nutrition around an operation might reduce complications. This dissertation contains several studies that support this claim. Enriched nutrition in the intestine triggers a nervous reflex that inhibits the inflammatory reaction and protects various organs (among which the intestine). Moreover, enriched nutrition appears effective when the body has already suffered damage, so that this treatment can also be applied to patients after an accident. It is also very important that enriched nutrition not only mitigates the acute and very intense inflammatory reaction, but also leads to a more effective immune system in the period afterwards.