diff --git a/data/syntax/matlab.xml b/data/syntax/matlab.xml
--- a/data/syntax/matlab.xml
+++ b/data/syntax/matlab.xml
@@ -136,14 +136,14 @@
 
     <itemDatas>
       <itemData name="Normal Text" defStyleNum="dsNormal" />
-      <itemData name="Variable" defStyleNum="dsNormal" />
-      <itemData name="Operator" defStyleNum="dsNormal"/>
+      <itemData name="Variable" defStyleNum="dsVariable" />
+      <itemData name="Operator" defStyleNum="dsOperator"/>
       <itemData name="Number" defStyleNum="dsFloat" />
       <itemData name="Delimiter" defStyleNum="dsNormal" />
       <itemData name="String" defStyleNum="dsString" color="#b20000"/>
       <itemData name="System" defStyleNum="dsBaseN" color="#b28c00"/>
       <itemData name="Incomplete String" defStyleNum="dsChar" color="#a020f0"/>
-      <itemData name="Keyword"  defStyleNum="dsNormal" color="#0000ff"/>
+      <itemData name="Keyword"  defStyleNum="dsKeyword" color="#0000ff"/>
       <itemData name="Comment" defStyleNum="dsComment" color="#009900"/>
     </itemDatas>
     <!-- MATLAB 6.5 default color scheme