The data showed that the lymphocyte levels of proBDNF, p75NTR and sortilin were positively correlated with the daily ethanol consumption in the alcohol dependence group (n = 27; proBDNF: r = 0.417, P = 0.031, Fig. 4a; p75NTR: r = 0.476, P = 0.012; Fig. 4b; sortilin: r = 0.708, P = 0.001, Fig. 4c; Spearman’s correlation test). The gene discussed is NGFR; the disease is alcohol dependence.