Patients with which of the following diseases would most likely have a normal tracing?

In the context of neurological disorders and their impact on EEG findings, multiple sclerosis (MS) can often present with a normal EEG tracing, especially in the early stages of the disease. MS is characterized by the demyelination of neurons, which may not always produce significant electrical activity changes detectable by an EEG. While MS can eventually lead to abnormalities seen in later stages, many patients retain a relatively normal EEG during the initial phases or in the absence of acute exacerbations or lesions affecting electrical activity.

In contrast, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease typically shows specific patterns like periodic sharp waves. Herpes encephalitis tends to produce focal or generalized slowing and other distinctive changes on EEG. Advanced Alzheimer's disease often reveals diffuse slowing due to widespread cortical dysfunction, making a normal tracing less likely in later stages. Therefore, the likelihood of a normal tracing is significantly higher for patients with multiple sclerosis compared to the other conditions listed.