-24 more often diagnosed with hypertension and heart problems.17 Further studies18 suggest that the lack of stimuli may cause certain areas of the brain to function less, which could even lead to the atrophy of some nerve cells. It is clear why detainees in a situation of vulnerability should never be isolated: pre-existing mental conditions could be exacerbated, women with small children and pregnant women would be subjected to levels of stress that would be dangerous in their condition, minors would be highly affected by the detrimental effects of isolation, and detainees at risk of suicide would be left alone with their suicidal thoughts. Problems were recorded also in the post release phase. Recent research19 has shown that prisoners isolated for at least one week during their imprisonment were 60% more at risk to die within 5 years from the end of their sentence than detainees who were not isolated. Another downside of the massive use of solitary confinement as a disciplinary measure is its negative impact on the relationship between the prison administration/ staff and the prisoner. In fact, in one interview carried out for the project, one NPM pointed out that even if disciplinary solitary confinement was strengthened to respond to increasing cases of violence in prison, the number of cases of violence has not decreased. 2.2.4. Meaningful social contacts Because of the damage that solitary confinement can cause on an isolated detainee, the 2020 European Prison Rules (EPR) recommend offering detainees in isolation at least two hours of meaningful human contact 17. Hawkley, L., Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Health, in Lobel, J. and Smith, P. S., “Solitary Confinement. Effects, Practices”, Oxford University Press, 2019, (ebook) 18.Akil, H., The Brain in Isolation. A Neuroscientist’s Perspective on Solitary Confinement in Lobel, J. and Smith, P. S., “Solitary Confinement. Effects, Practices”, Oxford University Press, 2019, (ebook). Williams, B., Ahalt, C., First Do Not Harm. Applying the Harms-to-Benefits Patient Safety Framework to Solitary Confinement in Lobel, J. and Smith, P. S., “Solitary Confinement. Effects, Practices”, Oxford University Press, 2019, (ebook). Castro, S. L., J. D. Jaumotte, L. H. Sanders, R. J. Smeyne, M. J. Zigmond, Environmental Isolation Impairs Measures of Brain Health, Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, 2016. Zigmond, M. J., Smeyne, R. J., Use of Animals to Study the Neurobiological Effects of Isolation: Historical and Current Perspectives, in Lobel, J. and Smith, P. S., “Solitary Confinement. Effects, Practices”, Oxford University Press, 2019, (ebook) 19.Wildeman C., Andersen L. H., Solitary confinement placement and post-release mortality risk among formerly incarcerated individuals: a population-based study, The Lancet Public Health, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020, Pages e107-e113, ISSN 2468-2667, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S2468266719302713