The growth control singularity model suggests that acupuncture points (acupoints) originate from organizers in
embryogenesis. Organizers are singular points in growth control. Acupuncture can cause perturbation of a system
with effects similar to simulated annealing. In clinical trial, the goal of a treatment is to relieve certain disorder
which corresponds to reaching certain local optimum in simulated annealing. The self-organizing effect of the
system is limited and related to the person’s general health and age. Perturbation at acupoints can lead a stronger
local excitation (analogous to higher annealing temperature) compared to perturbation at non-singular points
(placebo control points). Such difference diminishes as the number of perturbed points increases due to the wider
distribution of the limited self-organizing activity.
This model explains the following facts from systematic reviews of acupuncture trials:
1. Properly chosen single acupoint treatment for certain disorder can lead to highly repeatable efficacy above
placebo
2. When multiple acupoints are used, the result can be highly repeatable if the patients are relatively healthy and
young but are usually mixed if the patients are old, frail and have multiple disorders at the same time as the
number of local optima or comorbidities increases.
3. As number of acupoints used increases, the efficacy difference between sham and real acupuncture often
diminishes.
It predicted that the efficacy of acupuncture is negatively correlated to the disease chronicity, severity and patient’s
age. This is the first biological – physical model of acupuncture which can predict and guide clinical acupuncture
research.
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