''I'm extremely worried about the long-term effects of extreme isolation on my brother.

BBC: London family's concern for terror suspect Talha Ahsan

The European Space Agency and the Russian Institute of Biomedial Problems are scheduled to run a joint 520-day mock Mars expedition this year aimed to study the effects of extreme isolation and confinement on 12 volunteers.

CNN: Mars on the brain? Red Planet pioneers to face cosmic mind trip

Other research targeting the social effects of loneliness and isolation have also shown dramatic health risks.

FORBES: Social Interaction Study Highlights Loneliness and Isolation as Heath Risks for Elders

So changing one standard in isolation, as the European Commission has done, could have unforeseen effects elsewhere.

ECONOMIST: Accounting standards