It should highlight after you save the file (Ctrl+S). This is the case for most things in GMEdit.
If it does not highglight after that, try figuring out on what occasions this happens
Pressing the "ctrl+s", i had ever tried doing this, but the problem still existed.
I'm not sure why and how it happens, it looks always happens when i use it on my computer.
And sometimes, the "close and open the code page again" is not work for updata the "var" highlight, either.
This seems to happen in the object's code page, but not happen in the script's code page ( because ctrl+s is work for it).
And the way of "Baku" is work for it.(ctrl+s, and then switch the code page).